Sports
India keep it 6-0 in World Cups against Pakistan
Adelaide, Feb 15
India had won all their
previous five meetings against Pakistan in the World Cup and it was no
different Sunday as the defending champions defeated their neighbours by
76 runs to take the advantage to a perfect tennis scoreline of 6-0.
India
once again came out on top in the high-octane clash to defeat Pakistan
in their World Cup opener at the picturesque Adelaide Oval. A special
century by vice-captain Virat Kohli (107) guided India to 300/7 which
Pakistan failed to chase down, being bowled out for 224 in 47 overs.
Statistics
showed that Pakistan have never chased more than 262 successfully and
India have always defended a total of 300 or more in the quadrennial
event. Both teams allowed the records to continue.
Opting to bat,
India got off to a fluent start through openers Rohit Sharma (15) and
Shikhar Dhawan (73). Rohit looked in prime touch until he gifted away
his wicket while trying to pull a not-so-short delivery in the eighth
over.
However, Dhawan struck an important second-wicket 129-run
partnership with Kohli which gave India the platform to put up a big
total. Dhawan looked good to score a hundred but confusion in the 30th
over with Kohli resulted in him being run out.
It was the perfect
opportunity for Pakistan to capitalise with India at 163 for two with
20 overs to go. However, big-hitter Suresh Raina made sure his wicket
counted for India as he smashed 74 off just 56 balls which boosted his
team's run rate close to run-a-ball.
His innings, which was
studded with five fours and three sixes, made Kohli take the backseat as
he targeted leg-spinner Yasir Shah (0/60).
Meanwhile, Kohli
played the anchor's innings and applied his sublime touch to notch up
his 22nd One-Day International (ODI) hundred, which was punctuated by
eight boundaries. For stats freaks, this is the first century by an
Indian against Pakistan in a World Cup contest.
Kohli was given
reprieve twice during his innings. In the beginning, he was dropped by
Yasir at long-on -- a difficult chance. If Yasir would have taken the
catch, it would have been a blinder. The 26-year-old was again dropped
by wicketkeeper Umar Akmal while at 76.
India were looking at
getting a 330-plus total while batting at 273/2 in the 45th over when
Sohail Khan (5/55) struck for Pakistan by clinching Kohli's prized
wicket. A tired Kohli slashed hard at a wide ball only to be caught
behind, bringing an end to the 110-run third-wicket partnership with
Raina.
His wicket led to a collapse of the Indian batting order
as Raina, Ravindra Jadeja (3), skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (18) and
Ajinkya Rahane (0) all perished quickly.
It was just the fillip
Pakistan needed as some brilliant death bowling by Sohail and Wahab Riaz
(1/49) allowed India only 27 runs in the last five overs as the 1992
edition champions clinched five wickets. Sohail, playing in only his
sixth ODI, picked up his first five-wicket haul.
In reply, Pakistan looked steady at the start despite losing experienced batsman Younis Khan (6) cheaply in the fourth over.
Opener
Ahmed Shehzad (47) and Haris Sohail (36) were batting solidly at 79/1
in the 18th over when the latter edged one to Raina in the slips.
Soon
three wickets -- Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood (0) and Umar Akmal (0)
-- in the span of eight deliveries turned the match in favour of the
two-time champions. Suddenly from 102/2, Pakistan were tottering at
103/5.
The Pakistani lower order could not offer much of a fight
and the only person in between India and their victory was captain
Misbah-ul-Haq (76), who scored his 39th half-century. He kept running
out of partners and was eventually caught at mid-wicket in the 46th
over.
Pacer Mohammed Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers as
he notched up 4/35 from nine overs while spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's
(1/41) brilliant spell, which included three maidens, slowed down the
Pakistani innings.