Kohli shines as India once again beat Pakistan

Kuldip Lal 10:33 22/03/2014
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Spinning his web: Amit Mishra (2nd r) picked up 2-22 from his four overs.

    India extended their domination over Pakistan in World Cup events with a seven-wicket demolition of their arch-rivals in the Super 10 round of the World Twenty20 in Dhaka. 

    Leg-spinner Amit Mishra grabbed two wickets for 22 runs in four overs as India kept Pakistan down to 130-7 after electing to field in the Group II match at the Sher-e- Bangla Stadium.

    Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma then gave India a flying start with a 54-run opening stand in eight overs as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men surpassed the modest total with nine deliveries to spare.

    India slipped to 65-3 before Virat Kohli (36 not out) and Suresh Raina (35 not out) steered their team to victory with an unfinished partnership of 66 for the fourth wicket.

    Pakistan, who have never beaten India in the 50-over World Cup or the World Twenty20, found runs hard to come by against the steady Indian attack led by Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja (1-18).

    Umar Akmal top-scored for Pakistan with 33 off 30 balls, but found little support at the other end as wickets fell at regular intervals on the slow pitch.

    Sohaib Maqsood delighted a sellout crowd of 25,000 by smashing 15 runs in the final over bowled by Mohammed Shami, before being run out off the last ball for a 11-ball 21.

    Pakistan, who lost opener Kamran Akmal in the second over, moved to 44-1 by the eighth over when India hit back with two wickets in the space of three runs.

    India restricted Pakistan to 50-3 at the half-way stage of the innings, before 13 runs in the 11th over bowled by left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh appeared to lift the pressure.

    Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik (18) produced the best partnership in the innings, adding 50 for the fourth wicket, but none of the other batsmen settled in to rescue the faltering innings.

    India’s openers Rohit Sharma and Dhawan overcame a relatively slow start to reach 38 after the powerplay, the latter cracking four boundaries in the same period.

    Sharma helped himself to two sixes, but Dhawan’s surge ended on 30 when he was caught hooking at fine leg by Saeed Ajmal off Umar Gul.

    Ajmal then turned wicket-taker by bowling Sharma for 24 in the 10th over and India were in some danger when Yuvraj’s stumps were knocked over by Bilawal Bhatti’s first delivery.

    However, Kohli steadied the innings while Raina, who was dropped early on by Afridi in the slips, powered his way to 35 off 28.

    The duo helped take the momentum away from Pakistan, Kohli (36 not out) setting up the final run-in with boundaries off Afridi and Raina completing the honours with a six and a single off Gul.

    Recommended