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Comfortable victory for India, Pak loses by 58 runs

     Visakhapatnam: India defeated Pakistan by 58 runs in the second one-day international at Visakhapatnam today. Two of its batsmen Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virendra Sehwag were the stars of the day. Chasing a target of 357 for victory, the visiting team was all out for 298 runs in 44.1 overs. This was the highest total ever by the Indian team against their arch-rival, Pakistan in ODI history. Dhoni, who was adjudged the man of the match, scored a magnificent 148 off just 123 balls, coupled by the swashbuckling innings by Sehwag Replying to India's mammoth total, Pakistan lost their first wicket, Afridi, on 0. Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Abdul Razzaq had a good partnership, but were not able to do the needful for their team. Yuvraj Singh stuck for India and got the wickets of Razzaq, Shoaib Mailk and Hafeez. Yousuf Youhana came for the rescue of his team and scored a quickfire 71 which included four sixes and just two boundaries.

     Earlier in the day, India elected to bat and raced to their highest ever total against arch-rivals Pakistan, aided by Dhoni's quickfire maiden ODI century, with a nice innings of Sehwag, who raced to his 50 in just 26 balls. India crossed the 100-run mark in just 11 overs with a run rate of above 9 runs an over. Tendulkar lost his wicket after being run out for 2 by a Yousuf Youhana direct hit. Dhoni who was promoted up in the batting order was the surprise of the Indian batsmen, unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes. Nehra took four wickets for the team, while Yuvraj took 3. Zaheer and harbhajan took one wicket each. Bowling for Pakistan Naved took three wickets, while Arshad and Hafeez bagged two wickets eack. Sami was able to get only one wicket. With this victory India has established a lead of 2-0 in the six- match-one-day series against Pakistan.

Cake and smiles for Dhoni's parents (Go To Top)

     Ranchi: It was the day of celebrations at the home of India's new cricket hero Mahendra Dhoni as he cracked a blistering maiden one-day century to help his team pile up 356 for nine in the second one-day international against Pakistan on Tuesday. The wicket keeper-batsman hammered 16 fours and four sixes in his 123-ball knock of 148 in Visakhapatnam. Pan Singh, Dhoni's proud father said, he had always trusted his son's talent and it was only a matter of giving him the opportunity. "Since the time he has been playing, we have encouraged and trusted him. He played the Ranji, Champions trophy, this is his first international match--he got a chance and proved himself. If he would have got a chance earlier, he would have performed the same," he said. "My prayers have been answered. I am extremely happy," added Devki Devi, Dhoni's mother.

     Dhoni shared in a 96-run stand for the second wicket with Virender Sehwag (74 off 40 balls, including 60 in boundaries) and 149 for the fourth with Rahul Dravid (52) as the hosts exploited a flat pitch. Dhoni, from Jharkhand, walked in to bat ahead of captain Saurav Ganguly, who was struggling for form. Twenty-three year-old Dhoni, who had played four matches before, for an average of 7.33, got off the mark with a superb off-driven boundary. Sehwag got India with a blistering start and though his dismissal prompted five relatively quiet overs but the lull did not last for long. Dhoni lofted Arshad Khan for a one-bounce four and then swept him over the on side for six. Getting good support from Dravid, he raised his century off 88 balls with a single to mid-on.

     He celebrated by punching the air and then sweeping Afridi for a four over square-leg. Dhoni got a life on 126, Kamran Akmal missing a stumping chance off Afridi, and was finally dismissed while trying to slog Mohammad Hafeez over the infield. India lost wickets at regular intervals after his departure. The early momentum, however, still got them to their highest score against Pakistan and their third-best ever. According to the latest reports, India has now won the match by 58 runs and leads the six-match series by 2-0.

5 star arrangements for Delhi ODI (Go To Top)
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: The DDCA (Delhi District Cricket Association) has made 5-star arrangements for the sixth and last one day international between India and Pakistan on April 17. According to DDCA president Arun Jaitley, the facilities would be unique compared to any ground in the world, even the Mecca of cricket - The Lords. And, surprisingly all this has been made possible without taking a penny from the government. Estimated to cost around Rs 50 crore, all the money has been raised through sponsors, said Arun Jaitley. Just above the lounge where Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh would sit, there would be a big hall for around 250 sports journalists/ writers, with 150 of them provided both tables and chairs. Besides, the media persons, both international and national, would be provided with hi-tech communications facilities, including computers, Internet, phone and fax, Jaitley said.

    The renovations underway at the Kotla Ground include a brand new lounge-cum-bar for the players and sponsors, bathrooms with multi-showers and lavish massage rooms exclusively for the players, which according to Jaitley, they might require during the match to be played under intense heat and hectic conditions. He said a brand new four-storey building is being set up exclusively for the players fitted with latest gadgets. To be a centrally air-conditioned, on April 17 the building would have temporarily fitted air-conditioners, Jaitley said. There would be four `sponsored' ends in the ground - ITC end, TATA end, TVS end and one jointly called Hutch and JP (Power company) end. Besides, just in front of the VVIP lounge (meant for Musharraf and Manmohan) there would be two `hills', one of which has already been sponsored by ONGC. Jaitley is on the lookout for a sponsor for the second one. According to DDCA chief, the seating capacity of the ground would be around 52,000, but actual sitting arrangements would be made for around 60,000 people. With all the `political dust' about holding the match in the Capital being settled down, it's to be seen how far Jaitley's 5- star arrangements go in making the match a success.

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