Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pathans power India:
Brothers Irfan and Yusuf Pathan plundered 59 runs off 25 balls as world champions India posted a thrilling three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the one-off Twenty20 international match here on Tuesday.
India were struggling at 115-7 chasing a 172-run target before the Pathan duo steered their side home with four balls to spare in the first-ever Twenty20 game in Sri Lanka.
Yusuf, who had earlier taken two wickets with his off-spin, remained unbeaten with a 10-ball 22 with the help of two sixes and one boundary. He was named man of the match for his all-round display.
His younger brother Irfan finished the match when he swung paceman Lasith Malinga over mid-wicket for a six. He cracked two sixes and as many boundaries in his 16-ball 33 not out.
Sri Lanka skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (61) earlier smashed a maiden half-century to help his side set a challenging target after being dropped in the opening over. He had yet to open his account at that stage.
Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara (3-32) then raised visions of a Sri Lankan victory when he dismissed well-set Suresh Raina (35), skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (13) and Ravindra Jadeja (five).
But the Pathan brothers shattered the hosts' dream with their bold stroke-making on a flat track in the day-night match.
Raina and Yuvraj Singh (32) propped up the innings when they added 67 runs off seven overs for the third wicket after openers Gautam Gambhir (13) and Virender Sehwag (one) had fallen in the opening two overs.
Yuvraj hit two sixes and three fours in his 21-ball knock before he was caught by wicket-keeper Dilshan while attempting to cut off-spinner Jehan Mubarak.
Sri Lanka got off to a brisk start after winning the toss as Sanath Jayasuriya (33) and Dilshan added 53 off just five overs.
Dilshan, dropped by Irfan at mid-off off paceman Zaheer Khan, held the innings together before falling in the 17th over.
The Sri Lankan captain cracked one six and seven fours in his 47-ball knock before being caught by Raina at mid-off while attempting a big shot off paceman Ishant Sharma.
Dilshan reached his fifty when he firmly drove Sharma past point for his sixth four. He also hit a boundary and a six off the next two balls before falling in the same over.
Jayasuriya went for big shots from the beginning, pulling Sharma for a boundary and then lofting over the covers and mid-wicket for two sixes in the same over.
His 18-ball knock ended when Sharma held a one-handed catch at mid-on off seamer Irfan.
The run-rate declined after Jayasuriya's dismissal as only 26 came in the next five overs, with spinners Yusuf and Jadeja bowling tightly.
Yusuf struck in his third over when he held a return catch to dismiss Mubarak (13). He took his second wicket in his next over when he had Chamara Kapugedera caught by Sehwag at point.
Sri Lanka scored 50 runs in the closing five overs, with Dilshan and Chamara Silva (21 not out) doing the bulk of the scoring.
SCORES IN BRIEF
SRI LANKA: 171 for 4 in 20 overs (Dilshan 61, Jayasuriya 33, Silva 31 not out, Kapugedera 16, Mubarak 13, Weeraratne 10 not out, extras 17; Yusuf 2-23, Irfan 1-34, Ishant 1-40)
INDIA: 174 for 7 in 19.2 overs (Raina 35, Irfan 33 not out, Yuvraj 32, Yusuf 22 not out, Gambhir 13, Dhoni 13, Jadeja 5, Rohit 4, Sehwag 1, extras 16; Bandara 3-32, Mubarak 1-9, Jayasuriya 1-10, Thushara 1
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment