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KARACHI: Pakistan stuttered while chasing 168 as India wrapped up a thrilling 10-run victory to avoid a series whitewash at the hands of the visitors on Sunday at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.
Pakistan restricted India to 167 in 43.4 overs but failed to chase the total as India bowled them out at 157 in 48.5 overs with a fantastic bowling and fielding display.
India captain MS Dhoni, who was fit to play after doubts earlier that he might be excluded from the team because of a back injury, won the toss and elected to bat first in chilly conditions. Virender Sehwag was replaced by Ajinkya Rahane while Ashok Dinda made way for debutant Shami Ahmed.Rahane did not impress as he became India’s first casualty, caught behind by Kamran Akmal off Mohammad Irfan who also removed Gautam Gambhir, bowling a bouncer which the batsman played right into the hands of Umar Akmal at point.
Virat Kohli was the next to go as he was caught out by Younis Khan at second slip off Junaid Khan. Yuvraj Singh followed, bowled out by Mohammad Hafeez.
Dhoni, who was later awarded the man-of-the match award, along with Suresh Raina steadied India after the initial onslaught, adding 48 runs for the fifth wicket before Raina was given out lbw off a straight delivery from Saeed Ajmal.
Ajmal went on to wreak havoc to India’s batting line-up, taking his career best figures of 24-5, dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin, Rajindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma.
Umar Gul, despite bowling some of the more expensive overs of the match, took the important wicket of India’s captain at 36 to halt the the hosts’ march towards a bigger total.
In reply, Pakistan picked up slowly and eventually failed in chasing what should have been an easy target to achieve. Kamran Akmal partnered Nasir Jamshed as Hafeez moved down the order due to a finger injury sustained while trying to block a shot played by Dhoni off his own bowling.
Akmal’s poor performance with the bat continued as Kumar dismissed him for a duck lbw and later accounted for Younis Khan.
Jamshed, who was adjudged man-of-the-series for his clinical centuries in the first two ODIs, fell to Ashwin after scoring just 34 runs.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq steadied the innings for a while along with Umar Akmal, who was included in place of Azhar Ali, but India’s fielding kept them from causing too much damage to the hosts.
After Misbah was sent back by Ashwin, India took quick wickets to increase the pressure on Pakistan, under which they finally buckled; losing Shoaib Malik for five followed by a stumping which saw the younger Akmal dismissed.
Hafeez, coming in at number seven, was the winning wicket for India as Sharma removed Gul. Ajmal was caught out by Dhoni off Ahmed while confusion on the pitch caused Junaid to be run out.
Mohammad Irfan was the last man standing as India recorded a face-saving, consolation win.
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Comments (72) Closed
Jan 07, 2013 02:12pm
yes azmal offcourse for taking 3 tailenders out of his 5 wickets.
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Jan 07, 2013 02:40pm
If Dhoni was batting and next man in was Ishant Sharma with 4 balls in over. What would he do, expose Ishant Sharma to Ajmal or cross and take the strike.
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Jan 07, 2013 03:43am
He also broke Hafeez's finger
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Jan 07, 2013 07:03am
It was not India's win but it was Pak's loss
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Jan 07, 2013 07:07am
Yes, I'm shocked with Motm......Ajmal or Jadeja deservers it surely. Given chance to me, I would have voted Ajmal.
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Jan 07, 2013 03:16am
ICC please put an enquiry. The match certainly seemed mixed.
Being an Indian , I'm happy India won but as a cricket fan it was a deliberate attempt by Pakistan to throw the match.
Pakistan played brilliantly in the first 2 ODI's and deserved to win the 3'rd as well..
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Jan 07, 2013 01:50am
Yes, Pakistan is invincible. If it wins, it is expected. But if it looses, how is it possible on earth? The match has to be FIXED....right? Usual Paki jihadi mentality.
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Jan 07, 2013 03:31am
The reason of Pakistan's debacle was only Misbah's tuk tuk. He has never been a match winner like Miandad and Inziman and never will be. He should be taken off the team immediately. If he continues to a part of this young rising team, he will certainly cause Pakistan more defeats in matches to come.
As far as the Indian team, they have played thieir hearts out and snatched victory from Pakistan's throat.
Once again it is my humble gratitude for Misbah Ul Haq for this crumble.
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Jan 07, 2013 10:00am
seems our Kurbani or CBM is in vain as just heard that BCCI will not be sending their team and players to Pakistan for any type of cricket...... LOL !!!
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Jan 07, 2013 03:27am
ok so your problem basically is the way India celebrated after the victory.... grow up jealous kid. Its just a game.
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Jan 07, 2013 03:18am
* fixed
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Jan 07, 2013 03:12am
the way pakistani team played..it looks to be fixed match
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Jan 07, 2013 04:37am
Finally a true result! The other two were rigged.
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Jan 07, 2013 04:28am
Yes, match was fixed thats why Pak won the series.
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Jan 07, 2013 04:01am
Folks.. Appreciate the quality of cricket that was played in Delhi especially the bowling from both the teams and may I add fielding as well while India seemed to do slightly better or compelled for having been pushed to the wall. The weather was not conducive needless to state but a great game of cricket. While the Indian batsmen especially need to go back to the basics but Pakistan's cricket is on the ascendancy. Appreciate that aspect and stop being critical about Misbah. It is not an easy task to lead a team in Pakistan. History is testimony to the fact on the survival of captains and their productivity in terms of generating positive results. Misbah has done well on that account with a few failures not withstanding. Cricket is a team sport and when members take responsibilities, the captain can deliver too in the other departments with greater freedom and trust me if the other batsmen and bowlers continue to deliver, Misbah too will come to the party and start scoring and it is just a matter of time. Such humility in victory and grace in defeat is a quality that needs to be appreciated. How many captains in India or Pakistan have you seen in the past demonstrate this quality. Respect our heroes and condemn them where the skills are wanting but don't question the commitment. It is easy being armchair activists but put yourselves in their shoes and you will know the enormity of the challenges they face and the burden they carry on the shoulders...
I hate it when people say I am Indian or Pakistani in appreciation or criticism of the performance of the players. It has been a splendid game of cricket and a better side has won the series. Best of luck to team Pakistan for their future endeavors and commiserations for India.. As spectators and connoisseurs of the game.. let us treat our heroes well and encourage them to play fearless cricket without any rancour, animosity or criticism. May the best team win and let us celebrate this great game of cricket.
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Jan 07, 2013 04:04am
The matches that Pakistan won were fixed. This one we really lost.
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Jan 07, 2013 05:53am
Convinced - Pakistan did the match fixing again.
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Jan 07, 2013 05:02am
Congratulations to the Pakistani team. . They were clearly the better team during the T20s and the one dayers. I somehow think Jamshed's century in the first ODI was a stronger case for MoM than Saeed's 5.. and either ways both deserved it.. the Pakistani bowling looks lethal (junaid + irfan/tanvir + gul ) and (malik,hafeez,ajmal), they should nurture it for sucesses in SA, Eng and Aus. As for India, I think swing( Bhuvneswar/Praveen) , pace and bounce (Ishant/Umesh), spin (Jadeja/Yuvi, Raina, Ashwin), Dinda/Shami/ Sreesanth (Deck and cut) but they need a lot of improvement to turn into real wicket takers. Batting wise, let go of Younis and bring in Azhar.
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Jan 07, 2013 04:49am
Stop this habit of singing the much maligned word 'fixed' whenever Pakistan lose. I am replying to your questions:
1. so what?
2. Result of tight bowling and exceptionally good fielding.
3. No Hafeez was trying to chip in the ball over the head of a fielder, Had the catch been missed it would have gone for a boundary.
4. Junaid was only a tail ender batsman. He was tense and wanted a quick single to rotate the strike.
5. Irfan too was a tail ender batsman and was eager to knock off the remaining few runs as there were not much balls left.
So far as the Indian players reaction is concerned you must know that a victory after a series of losses always tastes sweet.
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Jan 07, 2013 02:08am
when did they start teaching cricket's history in Paki schools?
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Jan 07, 2013 02:11am
what a cheap mentality if Pakistan lose it's fixed and if win it was great performance ??
BTW YES India won the world cup just last year by beating Pakistan in Semi final..remember ! :)
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Jan 07, 2013 04:51am
It was fun and enjoyable. Sports, unlike life, is not to be taken seriously, but, like life, we win sometimes and lose sometimes. It was a nailbiter like a Hitchocock movie, and we all enjoyed it
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Jan 07, 2013 04:18am
yeah the match was always fixed... but the culprit here was Misbah-ul-Haq as was he in the 2011 world cup..... ;)
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Jan 07, 2013 07:20am
So my friend, the matches which was won by Pakistan was fair and square?
Really!!
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Jan 07, 2013 09:40am
when hafeez didnt cross i understand the match was fixx
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Jan 07, 2013 05:26am
win is win either by an inch or by a mile.
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Jan 07, 2013 05:19am
Overall, it was an exciting series- 2 T-20s and 3 ODIs. I don't really understand some of the comments from people. They say Misbah should be removed...I am confused... Pakistan won the ODI series and drew the T-20...And that also in India... That is an amazing achievement.... Misbah has a solid track record as a captain... He has maybe two more years... He is doing his job and preparing Hafeez for it. Pakistan people be happy!!!!! It would have been good to win the third ODI but we have always had an issue with our batting. India was determined to win and they achieved that. Their fielding was excellent and saved about 30 runs. Pakistan needs to find a keeper/batsman.... Kamran Akmal is really not working. I am really not that impressed by the Akmals....they have been given enough chances and it is time for them to go. Go Pakistan!!!!
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Jan 07, 2013 04:15am
Arre,it's only a game.
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Jan 07, 2013 07:28am
whole series was fixed ;) Wake up man. It was a great series.
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Jan 07, 2013 02:34pm
Traditionally the MOM is given to someone from the winning side. Yes Nasir opened the innings and it was for his batting that Pakistan was able to go over the line. Having said that, I have no issue that MOM was given to Dhoni in that game, it was exceptional effort from Dhoni. I think it is absurd when it is given to someone based on captaincy when a 5 for 25 is staring at you.
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Jan 07, 2013 06:58am
one more thing :) Dhoni was given the man of the match
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Jan 07, 2013 10:09am
Its history of white washing India in India.
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Jan 08, 2013 09:59am
i think all matches were fixed. The way Pakistan lost the final match and the way Mr. Billy Bowden gave three wrong decision against Pakistan in the final match and no body even pointed a single finger on it, this is too much to digest. I think the ICC is involved in gambling.......................... :(
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Jan 06, 2013 04:39pm
Pakistan snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. 58 needed from 103 balls and 7 wickets in hand, only Pakistan can achieve a defeat from this position, this is our sprcial feat and no one can take this away from us.
And, how about the man of the match award, Dhoni gets it for making 36 runs and Saeed Ajmal is overlooked for 5 for 24. If the logic was the winning team then Nasir should have been the MOM in the 1st ODI. The chill in the New Delhi weather must have frozen jury's brain cells just like it did to Misbah and Umar Akmal's. And the man with the crooked fingers, Billy the Bowden, he was on a mission too, dismissed two PK batsmen with his crooked fingures.
At the end of the day Dhoni's team wanted to win it more and in contrast, Misbah's team desperately wanted to loose. Everyone got what they wanted. Happy Ending!
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Jan 07, 2013 01:20am
Misbah played real well. All the batsmen should have played the same way. They just came and gone. Horrible. Failing to chase 167 seems to be a real shock. I don't know what Younus Khan got to do in the team. Umar Akmal played one real bad stroke. The problem is they are not mature enough to play a big innings.
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Jan 07, 2013 12:07am
Losing third ODI a perfect step towards friendship,, its ok boys its good what you did,, indian fans deserve a happy moment too.
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Jan 07, 2013 12:03am
Thats how exactly i was thinking ,,excellent analysis,,
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Jan 06, 2013 11:24pm
india win against pak after two match pak win against india in any series or tournament whatever plays after 6 & half year
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Jan 06, 2013 11:10pm
I am definitely convinced that your English is poor.
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Jan 06, 2013 10:34pm
Oh yes great achievement indeed how does it feel losing the series to Pakistan on Indian soil.Great achievement for learning new team like Pakistan.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:51pm
No one can convince you because you live in world of imagination when you do not like reality.
Going by these logics you can challenge any match. Learn to live with defeats.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:51pm
No worries, England and Aussies will wake you up and will keep you up for a while.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:52pm
So were yours.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:54pm
I cant understand how misbah is still captain he is not fit for this position
Look for his own performance getting out on very irresponsible shot and amazing is that hafeez kept trying the same
He needs to undertand what is the difference between test cricket and oneday
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Jan 06, 2013 09:47pm
6.. There was a leg slip in place yet Misbah fell for it, got out leg glancing.
7. There was a leg slip in place but Hafeez played the leg pedal shot but was dropped.
8. When Gul was caught at long on batsmen did not cross exposing Saeed Ajmal and Hafeez stayed at the non striker end.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:18pm
MOM based on captaincy ? oh please, is this a new category? Captaincy is a job. As much as Dhoni saved, Pakistan also self distructed in this game, saving last overs for the debutant is not very smart captaincy. MoM should be the one who contributed significantly with bat, ball or in the field. Ignoring 5 for 24 and giving it to someone because of the captaincy is a joke. Why not give him man of the series, he has been rewarded 2 MOM. Why Nasir, he only has 1 MOM. May be there should be another award from this point on. Captain of the match.
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Jan 07, 2013 08:57am
Geo Pakistan team! We won the series and that is a credit.
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Jan 06, 2013 09:14pm
It is shame that Pakistanis themselves saying match was fixed... and then they say Asif, Ameer and Butt was framed... make up ur mind...
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Jan 06, 2013 09:08pm
I am Indian and I have my doubts if it was not fixed. I think, this time it might be cricket boards from both the countries. Both have to keep running thier businesses and make money, It will be huge loss to advertizers and to board if India would have lost.
It is shame bor both the Boards, One shows might of Money power and another sell's country's pride. It very strange that tootless bowling attack suddenly is able to defend total which even Bangladesh would have achieved to win the match.
It also helps BCCI bosses to keep their beloved non-performers get going into next series, as my Indian friends have short memory and tthey will forget all 2011 and 2012 bad performancees of the team after this win..
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Jan 06, 2013 08:58pm
Then the previous two odi's were also fixed....why u guys were celebrating about it...u guys will always cry the match was fixed when pak looses....than boss ur team is traitor,characterless, dishonest ..if u do believe don't celebrate and make pak cricket team boys as hero..... at least show some respect for these ppl who were playing in 2 Degree temp....if u would have played even on club level u will understand it.....but unfortunately u all r TV players...
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Jan 06, 2013 07:36pm
Forever???
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Jan 06, 2013 07:22pm
indian win was a fluke !
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Jan 07, 2013 09:16am
We in India were also discussing the same :) They celebrated the way Bangladesh would have celebrated after winning a match with any established team (they often lose every game). What the hell had happened to WC winning team!!
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Jan 06, 2013 06:38pm
All credit goes to Pak.Cap.Misbah tuk,tuk.How on earth can one win a match when you play 54 dot balls.Remove him for God
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Jan 06, 2013 06:22pm
Actually, one must also consider Dhoni's captaincy. He saved a team with just 167 runs on board, apart from scoring 36. I think it in itself is great an achievement.
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Jan 06, 2013 06:13pm
Convince me if the match wasnt fixed.
1- 25 required of 30 balls
2- 24 required of 15 balls
3- Hafeez try to give a cheap catch to leg gully
4- Junaid deliberately run out
5- Irfan tries to end with given missed run out chance
And Finally
India reacts as they won the world cup!
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Jan 06, 2013 06:11pm
Bunch of duffers are the batsmen we have. They did not realised the importance of clean sweep. History was in the making but again we have majority of players who rarely attended school, who would read history for them?
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Jan 06, 2013 06:07pm
A memorable start for the cricket fans on both sides of the much-politicized border!
At least, the sportsmanship is intact among 'us', among the hard working players as well as equally enthusiastic fans! This is a contest that every die hard fan on both sides yearns to watch live. Let this "bond" flourish and unite!
Congratulations to the Pakistan team for bringing something really cheerful to its people, as well as to the lovers of good cricket all over the world!
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Jan 06, 2013 06:07pm
After 8 days I will sleep closed eye...AAMIN
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Jan 07, 2013 07:37am
congratulation Pakistan Cricket team.................. think all match were fixed ............. don't worry dear
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Jan 07, 2013 07:42am
With just 167 to win and already 2 matches won Pakistan had everything going in their favor. In spite of that if you cannot capitalize then one has to rejoice. Right Mr. Zabih?
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Jan 06, 2013 05:51pm
Hi GreenOval, initially even I thought that Nasir should have received MOM, but my friend cleared my doubt stating that Nasir opened the innings and he had plenty of time and deliveries to get settled and get a 100, but in Dhoni's case, he came to the crease at the time when India lost 5 wickets in the wink of the eye and he achieved the 100 in that difficult situation. You do not often see a batsman coming at 6 and achieving a 100.
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Jan 06, 2013 05:33pm
Excellent summary, well said.
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Jan 07, 2013 07:59am
168 its not a big total !, pakistan can chase it very easily ,but im sure about it their was some political influence in this game
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Jan 06, 2013 05:30pm
Pakistan`s batting is too brittle and nervous as usual
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Jan 06, 2013 05:24pm
Nothing like a low scroing thriller! Relieved to see the fight and determination in the Indian team. Hope it is not a flash in the pan though & we produce strong performances against England & Australia.
Pakistan on the other hand has much to cheer. A bowling attack getting more and more lethal with the passing day. A good batting & fielding unit. Overall it is a very good team. I think the cricket world would now look at Pakistan vs South Africa to see who actually has the best bowling attack. South Africa may be the no 1 team but they still do not command the awe. I think Pakistan can prove to be a test for them...Congrats for the series win & Best wishes for the tour to South Africa.
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Jan 07, 2013 08:17am
yes the reaction was very funny at the end!
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Jan 07, 2013 08:18am
Well said friend
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Jan 07, 2013 08:19am
Looking at India's over-rated stand in Cricket and pathetic performance from their team, I think Dhoni receives full credit for keeping the team together and holding off single-handedly against Pak, something our leadership should learn from for sure!
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Jan 06, 2013 05:09pm
Yes I was also surprised. Was expecting Saeed Ajmal will get it. I think Ravi Shashtri mentioned that man of the match is for 'Captaincy'. Never heard that before.
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Jan 06, 2013 05:05pm
Match was fixed. No doubts. Dhoni and Man of the Match? Want to save his position in the team. Captaincy? So many things at stake.
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Jan 06, 2013 05:03pm
and indian team celebrated like they won the tournament ;-)
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