India beats Pakistan to reach finals in Asia Cup
India have beaten Pakistan in crucial match with the help of lusty blows by Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina towards the end, thus reached semi-finals of Asia Cup. The match offered nothing short of India-Pakistan match with lots of twists, turns, showdown and exchange of words between players. India won the match with just 1 ball to spare.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the match and decided to bat first in a slow pitch. His openers complemented his decision with giving a decent start. Salman Butt, an experienced campaigner against India, driven the ball with ease and punished the deliveries of Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra with ease. Imran Farhat too came well by hitting two boundaries in one over of Praveen Kumar.
They both have scored 71 in 16.3 overs when Harbhajan took the wicket of Imran Farhat. Then former captain Shoaib Malik joined Salman Butt and continued the good work. Both rotated the strikes and hit those odd boundaries. Butt and Malik have partnered 73 runs before three quick wickets fell. Salman got run out for well made 74 while Malik got out for 39.
Umar Akmal showed some promise but Jadeja took him for 21. His elder brother Kamran Akmal and captain Shahid Afridi came out with the third but crucial partnership. They together have smashed 4 sixes and fours to post a challenging total. Pakistan were all out of 267.
India started slowly with keeping wickets in hand. Sehwag even played slower which was unlikely him. He seemed out of sorts and struggled with his hip injury. He got out for 10 from 32 deliveries and later ruled out of Asian Cup due to injury. His opening partner Gautam Gambhir stood solid rock and played a matured innings. Kohli went early and captain Dhoni joined the southpaw. They both have added 98 runs for the fourth wicket and took the chase close. Gambhir got out to a superb delivery of Saeed Ajmal for 83. Shahid Afridi took the priced wicket of Rohit Sharma for 22.
At the time even Dhoni got out of Shoaib Malik and Pakistan came in to the match. But Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh held their nerve and played some fantastic shots over the ropes to keep India in hunt. Suresh Raina hit huge sixes off Shoaib Akhtar and spinner Ajmal. Even Harbhajan, know for his aggressiveness hit Shoaib Akhtar out of the ground. The veteran greeted him with the bouncer and heated exchanges happened as everyone expected.
India needed 7 off the last over when Raina got run out. Praveen got 3 runs off two balls. Now 3 runs were needed from 2 balls with Harbhajan to face Aamer. But the brave Sardar heaved Aamer cleanly over the mid-wicket fence to notch up a victory for India. He cleanly hit the young pacer out of the ground and also roared to dressing room and Akhtar. Indians thus knocked out Pakistan from Asia Cup and set up a final against Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir who top-scored with 83 got the man of the match award.
