AMSTELVEEN, Aug 22: Pakistan spinners Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik took seven wickets between them to bowl their side to a 66-run win over arch-rivals India in the opening match of the triangular event on Saturday (partly reported in Sunday's edition).
Afridi took four for 20 and Man-of-the Match Malik, who earlier made 68, three for 18 as India, chasing a target of 194 to win, were bowled out for 127 with six overs to spare.
But India were without Sachin Tendulkar after the star batsman was ruled out of the whole tournament, also featuring world champions Australia, earlier on Saturday because of an elbow injury.
"I thought India were shooting towards the target," Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer told reporters afterwards. "But credit to my side, we really fought hard." Left-hander Saurav Ganguly, opening in place of Tendulkar, fell for 25 when his pull off Razzaq was caught by Yousuf Youhana running round at mid-wicket.
And 69 for two became 70 for three thanks to an even more spectacular piece of fielding which saw star batsman Rahul Dravid out for nought. Vangipurappu Laxman pushed Mohammad Sami for a single and set off. But Dravid, casually ambling in, was beaten by Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq's left-handed direct hit from mid-on.
Inzamam, famed throughout his career for being involved in run-outs rather than inflicting them on his opponents, saw his moment of magic lead to a Pakistan stranglehold on the match.
The India fans in the temporary stands holding most of the 10,000 capacity crowd went quiet when Laxman's patient 51-ball 37 ended when he played on to off-spinner Malik. At 96 for four the game, now being played in bright sunshine, was almost out of India's reach with Malik adding a couple of wickets to his haul.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN:
Yasir Hameed c Dravid b Balaji 9
Shahid Afridi c Kaif b Agarkar 19
Shoaib Malik c Kaif b Kumble 66
Inzamamul Haq c Dravid b Balaji 1
Yousuf Youhana run out 30
Abdul Razzaq not out 35
Younis Khan c Dravid b Balaji 0
Moin Khan not out 27
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-1, NB-2) 5
TOTAL (for six wkts, 33 overs) 192
FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-52, 3-58, 4-122, 5-136, 6-136.
DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed.
FALL OF WKTS: 1-30, 2-69, 3-70, 4-96, 5-98, 6-116, 7-123, 8-123, 9-124.
BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 5-0-29-0; Shabbir Ahmed 5-0-22-1 (1w); Shoaib Akhtar 3-0-23-0 (1nb, 1w); Abdul Razzaq 4-1-14-1; Shahid Afridi 6-0-20-4 (1w); Shoaib Malik 4-0-18-3.
RESULT: Pakistan won by 66 runs (D/L Method).
UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and D.R. Shepherd (England).
TV UMPIRE: J.W. Lloyds (England).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shoaib Malik.
NEXT MATCH: Australia v India on Monday. -Agencies
