Dhoni, Sharma help India top 300

Chris DHAMBARAGE from Pakistan

Two fighting half centuries from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma lifted India to a formidable 308 for 7 in their six nation Asia Cup tournament vital Super Four match against the traditional rivals Pakistan worked off under lights at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday.

Dhoni played a captains knock of 76 from 96 deliveries with four boundaries and carried his team to a commanding position after he had won the toss and elected to bat first. He came in to the crease at a crucial stage of the innings when Pakistan had struck three early blows through Abdul Rauff and Ifthikar Anjum.

India of course got off to a flying start thanks to some explosive batting from their openers Virender Sehwag and Gautham Gambhir who put on 88 runs from just 10.3 overs. Sehwag was heading towards a big score before he fell one run away from completing a half century.

Sehwag certainly laid the platform for India’s huge total by hoisting two sixes and stroking half a dozen of boundaries. Thereafter India suffered a mini collapse losing three quick wickets for the addition of just three runs within the space of nine deliveries.

And when Yuvraj Singh made his exit for 37 runs from 32 deliveries in the 19th over India were in a spot of trouble and they looked as if they would struggle to reach the 300 run mark. Yuvraj batted brilliantly until then and his innings was studded with one six and four boundaries.

Rohit Sharma joined skipper Dhoni and the pair took the game away from the Pakistanis by putting on 112 runs for the fifth wicket. Middle order batsman Sharma performed his role quite effectively and completed a fluent 58 from 71 balls with the help of four boundaries.

After their departure all rounder Irfan Pathan added the finishing touches in style with a sparkling 38 from just 25 deliveries inclusive of four boundaries. Pakistan is still searching for their first points in the Super Four stage and need to win to stay alive in the competition.

KARACHI, Wednesday.

INDIA INNINGS
G. Gambhir 
c Afridi b Iftikhar         		 35
V. Sehwag c Sarfraz b Rauf             	 49
S. Raina c Butt b Rauf                    1
Y. Singh c Sarfraz b Iftikhar          	 37
M.S. Dhoni c Sarfraz b Tanvir          	 76
R. Sharma c Rauf b Iftikhar            	 58
Y. Pathan c Jamshed b Ajmal               0
I. Pathan not out                      	 38
P. Kumar not out                          1
Extras (b-1 lb-4 w-8)                  	 13
Total  for seven wkts 			308
Fall of wickets: 1-88 2-90 3-91 4-129 5-241 6-249 7-290
Bowling: Tanvir 10-0-87-1 (2w), Abdur Rauf 10-0-66-2 (1w),
Iftikhar 10-1-51-3, Afridi 10-0-52-0 (2w), Ajmal 10-0-47-1 (1w).