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ICL: India beatsPakistan by four wickets

November 24, 2008

India beat Pakistan by four wickets, and with five balls to spare, at Ahmedabad on Monday night.

Scorecard

Chasing 166 for a win, the Indians had a horrendous start when G Vignesh (1) was run out in the first over.

Ibrahim Khaleel (36) and Ambati Rayudu (65) put on 67 for the second-wicket to put the chase back on track.

There was a slight wobble in the middle with three wickets – Khaleel, Stuart Binny (8) and R Sathish (3) – falling in the space of 25 runs and in less than three overs.

Rayudu completed a well-deserved half century, inclusive of eight boundaries and a six, before he fell to Razzaq. And wih just 13 runs needed to win, S Abbas Ali (4) was cleaned up by Mohammad Sami.

But Hemang Badani (32 not out) and Reetinder Sodhi (five not out) ensured no further damage was done as India coasted home with balls to spare.

Rayudu was named the man-of-the-match for his 47-ball knock.

Earlier, Pakistan made just 165 for nine in their stipulated 20 overs.

Having lost Imran Farhat (0) in the very first over, Pakistan needed Imran Nazir to fire.

But even though the opener made an aggressive start and raced to 16, he miscued one from Jesuraj and paid the price.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (44) and Shahid Yousuf (13) put on 50 runs for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed by Vignesh. Naved followed and Pakistan had been reduced to 79 for four by the tenth over.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (24), Abdul Razzaq (15), Tahir Mughal (16) and Sami (19 not out) pitched in with a few hits to ensure the total a semblance of respectability.

Ali Murtaza and R Jesuraj were India's most successful bowlers with figures of three for 29 and three for 30 respectively.

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