Humiliation at Pak hands continues

Facing an imposing target of 280, the Indians required some bold hitting initially to ward off any threat from the Pakistani new ball bowlers. But that did not happen as the top-order curbed its natural strokeplay and played into the Pakistani gameplan. And, when they finally decided to have a go after 35 overs, their ploy did not succeed.

Rahul Dravid, who took 10 balls for his first run, and Robin Singh, whose 26 cameoff 60 balls, were both dismissed in a similar fashion, holing out to fielders at the fence. Sunil Joshi’s flurry of bold hitting in the end only helped to add a few more runs in their final tally of 163 for six in 50 overs.

Earlier, paceman Shoaib Akhtar continued to torment the top Indian batting order by forcing openers Ramesh and Saurav Ganguly to go on the defensive from the beginning with his now customary fiery initial spell (6-2-12-1). Ramesh’s sedate knock came to an end when he turned Akhtar straight to Akram who held the catch over his head. Ganguly, who struck the first boundary for India in the 11th over, fell leg before to Saqlain.

The agony for India was complete when skipper Azharuddin and his deputy Ajay Jadeja were dismissed off successive deliveries by Azhar Mehmood, who had captured five wickets in the recent tri-series final in Bangalore.

India’s run-rate never rose above three per over and the asking rate continued to climb as the team gave up their chase very early in theinnings.

For the fourth successive innings, the Indians failed to cross the 200-run mark against Pakistan. The sequence of their totals have been: 135 in Jaipur (Pak made 278-9), 196 at Mohali (Pak replied with 197-3), 168 at Bangalore (Pak made 291-8).

It was this another pathetic batting display by the Indians. But more than the margin of defeat, it was the manner of their approach that was disgusting. They never made any attempt to take the challenge into the opponents’ camp.

Earlier, Pakistan’s middle order once flourished again after Saeed Anwar got out cheaply for the second consecutive match. Ijaz Ahmed went hammer and tongs against the medium pacers to score a quickfire 38 to set the tone for the innings. Man of the Match in the previous game against England for his maiden hundred at the venue, Ijaz was severe on Venkatesh Prasad, hoisting the medium pacer for three huge sixes. He also struck the bowler for two boundaries. Srinath got a similar treatment (2×4) from the one-drop batsman beforeAnil Kumble trapped him in front.

If it was Ijaz yesterday, the bulky Inzamam-ul-Haq played the pivotal role today, hammering his sixth One-Day century. He also had a fruitful 140-run stand for the fourth wicket with Yousuf Youhana that gave the Pakistanis the upperhand after the team was checked to some extent in the middle overs by Kumble.

Haq was also severe on spinners as he struck as many as three sixes (all off left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi), two of them in his second 50. In fact, Haq’s second 50 took only 29 balls while his first had taken him as many as 78 balls.

India were lucky to see the back of Anwar through a fine piece of fielding by Kumble at mid-on. The leg-spinner hit the non-striker’s stumps with an underarm throw which left the batsman stranded. But then Ijaz took over even as Afridi at the other end watched his senior partner dominate the scene. Ijaz did have a slice of luck when Dravid dropped him at slip. But the batsman did not last, adding only one run.

Prasad, who was hammeredfor 33 runs in his first four overs (12 in his fourth over), however, finished with three wickets.

Pakistan: Saeed Anwar run out 4 (11b, 1×4) (pushed straight to Kumble at mid-on, underarm throw);
Shahid Afridi c Kumble b Prasad 28 (36b, 3×4) (short-arm pull, Kumble takes two-handed catch to left at mid-wicket);
Ijaz Ahmed lbw Kumble 38 (34b, 4×4, 3×6) (misses sweep, hit on back pad);
Inzamam-ul Haq c Azhar b Prasad 107 (115b, 6×4, 3×6) (tried to steer to off, brilliant catch at extra cover);
Yousouf Youhana b Srinath 57 (81b, 4×4) (straight into the blockhole);
Wasim Akram b Prasad 28 (20b, 2×4, 1×6) (misses line while going for sweep);
Moin Khan run out 0 (1b) (throw from long-on to bowler left him stranded);
Azhar Mehmood run out 0 (1b) (Azhar throw from covers to striking end);
Arshad Khan not out 0 (1b); Extras (b5, lb9, w1, nb2): 17. Total (for 8 wkts, in 50 overs): 279

Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Anwar, 2.3 over), 2-56 (Ijaz, 9.4), 3-94 (Afridi, 18.5), 4-234(Youhana, 44.1), 5-272 (Haq, 49.5), 6-279 (Moin, 49.4), 7-279 Akram, 49.5), 8-279 (Azhar, 50)

Bowling: Srinath 10-1-44-1, Prasad 10-0-69-3, Kumble 10-0-31-1, R Singh 8-0-43-0, Joshi 9-0-58-0, Ganguly 3-0-20-0.

India: Sadagoppan Ramesh c Akram b Akhtar 10 (31b) (Pulled straight to mid-wicket);

Saurav Ganguly lbw Saqlain 26 (46b, 1×4) (Struck on the front pad after he pushed forward with bat behind pad);
Rahul Dravid c Ijaz b Afridi 28 (79b) (Holed out to long-on);
Mohammad Azharuddin c Moin b Mehmood 1 (7b) (Tentative push outside off; ball took outside edge to keeper);
Ajay Jadeja lbw Mehmood 0 (1b) (Trapped in front with ball cutting back to him);
Robin Singh c Youhanna b Afridi 26 (60b, 1×4) (Swung high to leg, running catch at deep mid-wicket);
Sunil Joshi not out 38 (48b, 3×4, 1×6);
Nayan Mongia not out 22 (31b, 1×4);
Extras (lb4, w5, nb3): 12. Total (6 wkts, 50 overs): 163

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Ramesh, 9.4), 2-42 (Ganguly, 14), 3-47 (Mehmood, 16.2), 4-47(Jadeja, 16.3), 5-98 (Robin, 36.1), 6-108 (Dravid, 38.3).

Bowling: Akram 6-0-24-0, Akhtar 6-2-12-1, Mehmood 10-0-20-2, Saqlain 10-1-37-1, Arshad 10-0-31-0, Afridi 8-0-35-2.

Result: Pakistan won by 116 runs

Man of the match: Inzamam-ul Haq