Mohali, March 30: The Indian bowlers need to defend a score of 260 against Pakistan if India are to reach the final of the 2011 ICC World Cup. In the second semi-final being played here in Mohali, India looked good for a 300 plus score but were pegged back by some quality Pakistan spin bowling.
India captain MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first. India made a surprise change to their playing eleven by bringing in Ashish Nehra for R Ashwin. Pakistan were playing an unchanged squad from their quarter-final game against West Indies.
Vireder Sehwag got India off to a flying start as he blitzed his way to 38 off just 25 balls. Sehwag’s brief innings included hitting Umar Gul for five fours in the third over of the innings. Desperate to bring things under control, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi introduced Wahab Riaz into the attack and the left-arm pacer immediately trapped Sehwag off the fifth delivery of his first over. India were 48 for one in 5.5 overs at that stage.
Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir kept the score moving for India in the face of some very good Pakistani spin bowling. After stringing together a 68-run partnership, Gambhir (27) was stumped by Kamran Akmal off Mohammad Hafeez. India suffered a double blow next as Virat Kohli (9) and Yuvraj Singh (0) were dismissed off consecutive deliveries by Wahab Riaz in the 26th over with the score at 141.
Tendulkar, who had looked good for a big score at the start, went through a slump as his innings progressed. Having survived two reviews (LBW and stumping) in the 11th over of the innings, Tendulkar was dropped four times by the Pakistanis before he was eventually dismissed for 85 by Saeed Ajmal. India were 187 for five in 37 overs at the fall of Tendulkar’s wicket. MS Dhoni’s lean run continued as he went next for an individual score of 25.
Having squandered Sehwag’s blazing start, India did well to eventually end their innings at 260 for nine in 50 overs. Suresh Raina played a pivotal role in taking India’s score past the 250-run mark as he remained unbeaten with 36* off 39 balls.
For Pakistan, Wahab Riaz took five wickets giving away just 46 runs in his 10 overs.
Brief Score: India 260 for 9 in 50.0 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 85, Virender Sehwag 38, Suresh Raina 36*, Wahab Riaz 5/46)
