Khan steers Pakistan to 8-wkt Victory

Chris Dhambarage

Middle order batsman Younis Khan scored his fifth one day international century to steer Pakistan to a rousing eight wicket victory over their arch rivals India in their six nation Asia Cup limited overs tournament Super Four match played under lights at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.

Pakistan who are hosting the tournament for the first time kept their hopes alive of qualifying into Sunday’s final by collecting their first points in the Super Four stage.

The match winners for Pakistan was their middle order batsman Younis Khan who hit a brilliant 123 not out from 117 deliveries with the aid of one six and eleven boundaries.

Man of the match Younis Khan also figured in an unfinished third wicket partnership of 134 runs with Misbha ul Haq as Pakistan successfully chased India’s target of 308 runs with four overs to spare. Misbha ul Haq remained unbeaten on a superb 70 from just 62 deliveries and his innings was studded with one six and seven boundaries.

This was after the Pakistan openers Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed had provided a solid start putting on 65 runs from seven overs.

However Jamshed was forced to retire due to severe cramps having made a splendid half century from 43 balls with nine boundaries. Earlier skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma completed half centuries to guide India to a formidable 308 for seven after they had won the toss and elected to bat first.

Paceman Rao Iftikhar picked up three wickets but Dhoni (76) and Sharma (58) overcame a top order collapse to put on 112 runs from 139 balls for the fifth wicket. Dhoni, who came into the crease in the 13th over of the innings was dismissed in the penultimate over after scoring a superb 76 from 96 balls with the help of four boundaries.

In fact India collected 77 runs from the final ten overs with Irfan Pathan adding the finishing touches with an unbeaten 38. Pakistan led by Misbha-ul-Haq after Shoaib Malik had collapsed with dehydration in a pre match fitness test responded well on a good batting track after an explosive opening stand of 88 runs between Gautam Gambhir (35) and Virender Sehwag (49).

Sharma reached his fourth one day international fifty from 63 balls in the 40th over while Dhoni reached his 21st half century from 71 balls with three boundaries.

Karachi, Wednesday