Mohali: Chasing India's total of 260 for 9, Pakistan has lost four wickets for 107 runs in the second semi-final at the Punjab Cricket Association ground in Mohali. They need another 154 runs in the remaining 23 overs with six wickets in hand.
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Indian pacer Zaheer Khan ended the 44 runs opening partnership when had Kamran Akmal caught by Yuvraj Singh at point while going for a square drive. Mohammad Hafeez, who had started to stroke nicely went for an uncalled for paddle sweep off Munaf Patel and edged to wicketkeeper Dhoni for 43 runs.
Yuvraj Singh, the man with the golden arm provided another breakthrough after Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq had put on 33 runs in 8.2 overs. Shafiq, going for a cut off the backfoot missed the straight delivery from him to be bowled for 30 runs. Singh also went on to pick the prize wicket of experienced Younis Khan for 13, caught by a leaping Suresh Raina at cover.
Earlier, Pakistan left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz produced a fine spell of 5 for 46 as India went to post a challenging 260 for 9 in the second World Cup semifinal at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Mohali.
India’s master blaster Sachin Tendulkar cracked a fine 85 runs off 115 balls studded with 11 boundaries.
From a healthy 116 for 1, India slipped to 187 for 5 with Riaz kept striking repeatedly. Tendulkar went on to crack his 95th One-day half century and 15th in World Cup as Riaz struck two vital blows picking the wickets of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh off successive balls.
Earlier, Tendulkar had become the first player to score more than 400 runs thrice in World Cup breaking Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting’s record of scoring over 400 runs twice in the World Cup. Virender Sehwag, when he cracked the first boundary off Umar’s Gul third ball of the first over completed 1,000 One-day international runs against Pakistan. He played some delectable shots and put on 48 runs with Sachin Tendulkar in 5.5 overs.
Wahab Riaz trapped Sehwag with a delivery that skidded to win a leg before decision. Sehwag had hit nine boundaries during his knock of 38 runs.
In the 11th over, Tendulkar survived two close calls. First he was given out leg before Ian Gould of a delivery from Saeed Ajmal. On review it was proved that the ball was missing the leg stump. Tendulkar was on 23. The very next ball he almost got stumped but replays showed he hadn’t lifted his feet.
However, Gautam Gambhir wasn’t lucky like Tendulkar. At his score on 27 he was beaten by the flight of Mohammad Hafeez and got stumped by Kamran Akmal.
Gambhir and Tendulkar had put on 68 runs in 13 overs. Tendulkar got a lucky escape at his score on 45 when he was dropped by Younis Khan off Shahid Afridi. Indian score was 118 for 2 at that time.
Wahab Riaz took two vital wickets of Kohli, who was caught at backward point by Umar Akmal while Yuvraj Singh was clean bowled first ball to give him a hat-trick chance.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni prevented him from getting a hat-trick. Tendulkar continued to bat without being affected. At his score on 81, Tendulkar’s attempted pull shot in the air was dropped by Umar Akmal at wide mid-wicket. He went on to add only four more runs.
Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, who was upset with the earlier dropped catch, held on to a powerful shot from Tendulkar at short extra cover off Saeed Ajmal. Tendulkar and Dhoni had put on 46 runs in 11.3 overs.
Dhoni on 24 became the seventh batsman to score 1,000 runs against Pakistan in One-day matches. One run later he was trapped leg before by Riaz. Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh put on 31 runs for the seventh wicket. After Harbhajan’s exit, Raina remained unbeaten on 36 to ensure India cross the 250 runs mark.
Riaz bowling the last over picked the wicket of Zaheer Khan to pick his fifth wicket.
Clash of the Titans
The India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final clash is being hailed as the mother of all cricket battles. It is a battle which has brought the two nations to a standstill. Both teams are so evenly balanced that the game is expected to be close.
India won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Mohali. They left out spinner R. Ashwin and brought in pacer Ashish Nehra. Pakistan is feilding an unchanged team from their last match.
Many here believe that the match will be a thriller, so much so that it could even make the legendary suspense movie maker Alfred Hitchcock proud.
The drama around this match is unprecedented, with politicians jumping into the fray to capitalise on its glamour — prime ministers of both nations are expected to watch the action live.
PMs meet for 'cricket diplomacy'
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday to watch the cricket World Cup semi-final between their two countries.
The two men were seated in the VIP box for the national anthems before heading on to the pitch at the Mohali stadium in northwest India to shake hands with players from both sides.
THE PLAYERS
India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal.
OFFICIALS
Umpires: Ian Gould, England, and Simon Taufel, Australia.
TV umpire: Billy Bowden, New Zealand, Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.
