India triumph in bowl-out

14 September 2007

India's Robin Uthappa takes a bow after hitting the stumps in the bowl-out © Getty Images

India defeated Pakistan 3-0 in a bowl-out to finish top of Group D at the ICC World Twenty20 after their match had ended in a dramatic tie in Durban.

Rules for the 20-over competition state each match completed shall have a winner - and India claimed a 3-0 victory.

Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa struck the stumps with their deliveries while Pakistani counterparts Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi all missed.

Pakistan appeared to be have sealed the Kingsmead contest when Misbah-ul-Haq hit two boundaries in the final over to bring the scores level with two balls remaining.

But he missed Shanthakumaran Sreesanth’s penultimate delivery and then jabbed the final one straight to cover to be run out at the non-striker’s end and leave Pakistan 141 for seven.

When Shahid Afridi perished late in the chase Pakistan required 39 from only 14 balls and India appeared set for a healthy win.

But Misbah, who had only 27 runs from 26 balls at that stage, launched an assault which saw him bring up his half-century in only eight more deliveries and level the scores in the process.

India’s victory, inspired by a disciplined effort with the ball, sent Scotland packing from the competition.

The Scots would have harboured slim hopes of emulating Ireland’s World Cup progress beyond the group stages when India were restricted to only 141 for nine.

Had Pakistan chased down that total in less than 14.4 overs - by no means out of the ordinary - Scotland would have stayed on for the Super Eight stage by virtue of having a better run-rate.

Fast bowler Mohammad Asif claimed 4-18 to help restrict India to 141 © Getty Images

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But Pakistan’s innings hit the skids in Irfan Pathan’s first over back in international cricket for seven months, a wicket maiden, in which both Kamran Akmal and Younus Khan were dismissed.

Earlier, Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif decimated India’s top order with a superb four-over spell with the new ball. He finished with 4-18.

Although Robin Uthappa hit a half-century off only 38 balls, including two sixes in one Yasir Arafat over, there was little rhythm to the innings, not helped by three brief stoppages for persistent drizzle.

Captain Mahendra Dhoni’s 33 provided hope but late wickets stemmed the flow and India were left to settle for what appeared to be an under-par score.

India prospered after selecting Sehwag and Uthappa, neither of whom bowled during the match, for the bowl-out.

"We just selected who we thought were the five best bowlers for the job," said Dhoni, who also admitted the priority only a couple of hours earlier had been to edge out Scotland.

"Frankly speaking, when we were in the dressing room in between the two innings we just thought of qualifying for the next stage," Dhoni added.

"But we said if we got a good start we would try to put the pressure on the Pakistan team."

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said: "It was a very close game but we lost too many wickets early on.

"The way Misbah-ul-Haq played was very good for us; what happened in the last over is part of the game and he played superbly."