The most keenly fought contest in the world of cricket today is a match between India and Pakistan. India probably have the best batsmen in world cricket today. Pakistan have the best fast bowlers in the world. The match played today at Mirpur, on a green wicket, between the two subcontinent giants, was very exciting, although it was a low scoring match.
India put Pakistan into bat, the pitch helped Nehra and Bhumrah. Nehra got a wicket in the very first over. Bhumrah came close to getting a lbw in the second over but the umprie ruled otherwise. That over was a maiden though. When it seemed like Pakistani batsmen were settling down and looking to score big, Bhumrah managed to get the edge of Sharjeel Khan, the catch was taken comfortably by Rahane.
In the next over, Nehra managed to get an edge of Manzoor, however the decision was not given by the umpire in favour of the bowler. The decision did not cost India too much, in the next over, there was some misunderstanding between Malik and Manzoor, while taking a quick single. Malik sent Manzoor back, Manzoor slipped, the bat fell from the hands of Manzoor, Kohli collected the ball and hit the stumps direct. After that wickets fell in quick succession.
At one stage the Pakistanis were 52/7, Wahab Riaz and Sarfaraz managed to add 18 to the total, but then Riaz was out lbw to Jadeja. In the next over bowled by Ashwin, the first ball was swept square by Mohommad Shami for a one bounce boundary. In the next ball, Ashwin tried to bowl a slider that probably slipped out of his hands and went way down the leg side. This over added some runs to the paltry Pakistani total. Pandya bowled the next over and managed to get wickets in consecutive deliveries, thus stopping the Pakistanis at 83/5 in 17.3 overs.
However the win was not easy for India. India did have some very difficult time facing the fiery Pakistani fast bowling. Mohommad Aamir, who has come back to the side after a 5 year ban bowled a magical spell. In the very first over of the Indian innings he managed to get the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. Both the balls were real beauties. Both the bowls were bowled at over 145 kph and they swung back like banana. There was very little that Rohit and Ajinkya could have done, they were just new to the crease.
On the other end Mohommad Shami bowled a very good second over. In the third over Aamir got the wicket of Raina, who ended up lobbing a catch to mid on. Yuvraj came in to bat, the ball was swinging and the Pakistani fast bowlers were bowling with real pace. All of them -- Aamir, Shami, Irfan and Wahab bowled at over 145 kph. Some of the balls clocked 150 kph. However Virat Kohli batted steadily at the other end. He scored freely. Yuvraj struggled but managed to hang on.
Kohli, the man of the match, played some delightful strokes, he batted well under pressure and reached a score of 49. However the umpire gave a wrong decision adjudging him lbw, replays clearly showed that he had edged the ball to his pads. Pandya followed him without adding to the total. Captain Dhoni got the winning runs and India thus won the match by a margin of 5 wickets.
It was an incredible bowling performance by the Pakistani bowlers. They made a match out of a paltry total given to them by their batsmen. Had the Pakistani batsmen batted better and made even 120 to 130. India would have found it really difficult to get to the total.
It is wonderful to see India winning this match. One hopes that India performs well against Sri Lanka and UAE as well and win the next two matches to make it to the final.
India put Pakistan into bat, the pitch helped Nehra and Bhumrah. Nehra got a wicket in the very first over. Bhumrah came close to getting a lbw in the second over but the umprie ruled otherwise. That over was a maiden though. When it seemed like Pakistani batsmen were settling down and looking to score big, Bhumrah managed to get the edge of Sharjeel Khan, the catch was taken comfortably by Rahane.
In the next over, Nehra managed to get an edge of Manzoor, however the decision was not given by the umpire in favour of the bowler. The decision did not cost India too much, in the next over, there was some misunderstanding between Malik and Manzoor, while taking a quick single. Malik sent Manzoor back, Manzoor slipped, the bat fell from the hands of Manzoor, Kohli collected the ball and hit the stumps direct. After that wickets fell in quick succession.
At one stage the Pakistanis were 52/7, Wahab Riaz and Sarfaraz managed to add 18 to the total, but then Riaz was out lbw to Jadeja. In the next over bowled by Ashwin, the first ball was swept square by Mohommad Shami for a one bounce boundary. In the next ball, Ashwin tried to bowl a slider that probably slipped out of his hands and went way down the leg side. This over added some runs to the paltry Pakistani total. Pandya bowled the next over and managed to get wickets in consecutive deliveries, thus stopping the Pakistanis at 83/5 in 17.3 overs.
However the win was not easy for India. India did have some very difficult time facing the fiery Pakistani fast bowling. Mohommad Aamir, who has come back to the side after a 5 year ban bowled a magical spell. In the very first over of the Indian innings he managed to get the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. Both the balls were real beauties. Both the bowls were bowled at over 145 kph and they swung back like banana. There was very little that Rohit and Ajinkya could have done, they were just new to the crease.
On the other end Mohommad Shami bowled a very good second over. In the third over Aamir got the wicket of Raina, who ended up lobbing a catch to mid on. Yuvraj came in to bat, the ball was swinging and the Pakistani fast bowlers were bowling with real pace. All of them -- Aamir, Shami, Irfan and Wahab bowled at over 145 kph. Some of the balls clocked 150 kph. However Virat Kohli batted steadily at the other end. He scored freely. Yuvraj struggled but managed to hang on.
Kohli, the man of the match, played some delightful strokes, he batted well under pressure and reached a score of 49. However the umpire gave a wrong decision adjudging him lbw, replays clearly showed that he had edged the ball to his pads. Pandya followed him without adding to the total. Captain Dhoni got the winning runs and India thus won the match by a margin of 5 wickets.
It was an incredible bowling performance by the Pakistani bowlers. They made a match out of a paltry total given to them by their batsmen. Had the Pakistani batsmen batted better and made even 120 to 130. India would have found it really difficult to get to the total.
It is wonderful to see India winning this match. One hopes that India performs well against Sri Lanka and UAE as well and win the next two matches to make it to the final.
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