This match has its own spice: India vs Pakistan

There was a lot of buzz regarding the match between the arch rivals in the cricketing world, India v Pakistan. Well, at the end that match stood up to the expectation. We saw a lot of enthusiasm, energy and commitment to the game from both the teams and finally Pakistan had the better of India and won it in the last over with 2 balls left. Every time I sit to watch a cricket match, I look forward to a great game and I am left disappointed all the time with all the one sided games and very few comebacks by the team that is down. This match had everything I was looking out for.

In the initial overs, the Indians were jolted by some good pace bowling from Mohammed Irfan and Sohail Tanvir. The opening batsmen stood firm and waited for the bad balls. Rahane played fluent shots and timed the ball pretty well. He hit a magnificent six over extra cover off Ajmal that made some faces in the Pakistan camp a little tense. Afridi was brought into the attack and he broke the partnership. Rahane tried a little too hard and finally sent the ball into the air which was taken by U Akmal. Things looked good till 77 for India and they were going at a decent run rate. Then came the terrible run-out of Gambhir that started the downfall of the Indian wickets. The batsmen played poor shots and they were not able to pick the bowling of Irfan and Gul. India crumbled to a modest total of 133. A pitch that looked so dry and firm had 170 written all over it. The pitch report  had mentioned that there might be slight turn but the ball came on straight. Indians were 20 runs short and that proved costly.

With a mere total of 134 to chase, Pakistan were really pumped up. They ended the Indian innings very well and they had all the momentum going their way, until the debutant Bhuvaneshwar Kumar started “swinging” things around. He went through the defences of Jamshed in the first over and Pakistan were 2-1. Kumar was really threatening and he bowled a good line and length that kept the batsmen at bay. He finally finished with excellent figures of 3-9 (4 overs). He then made Shehzad drive, with the ball taking a faint nick to the keeper. That over was not yet over, as he sent U. Akmal back to the pavilion for a duck. Things were going India’s way with Pakistan struggling at 12-3. The captain Hafeez and India’s son-in-law (as Sunil Gavaskar called him) Shoaib Malik put up a brilliant partnership to take Pakistan home. The played well till the 13th over, after which there was no one to stop them and finally Shoaib took his team home with a straight six off Jadeja in the last over.

Every India vs. Pakistan has its spice. This one too had it. It was in the 18th over bowled by Ishant Sharma. He took the wicket of Hafeez and almost got Malik, but for the no ball due to the second bouncer in that over. There were a lot of words exchanged between Sharma and K. Akmal and it was a heated argument. The umpires intervened and calmed things down. Ishant fired the ball to Akmal who was then caught by Ishant off Dinda in the next over. The Indian team ran up to him to calm him down and that was it. The spice was in the last over as Pakistan required 10 off it. Jadeja was given the ball as Dhoni didn’t have many options available. With single and twos off each ball, the Indians believed that they could win this game. But congrats to Malik who stood and saw this game through.

The game progressed with each team getting ahead of the other. India were on fire with Pakistan taking over before the half way mark of the game. The brilliant spell by Kumar shifted the gears for India. The partnership between Hafeez and Malik slowly dragged the game towards Pakistan. Some good death bowling in the end helped India put their nose in the front but Pakistan crossed the finish line in style.

Head to head: India 3-1 Pakistan
Series: India 0-1 Pakistan.

Long Live Cricket! Adios!