Kohli century earns India victory over Pakistan
Virat Kohli completed his 51st one-day international century with the winning runs as India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Champions Trophy match in Dubai.
Electing to bat first, Pakistan made 241 before being all out with two deliveries left in their stop-start innings. Saud Shakeel (62) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) scored the bulk of the runs for Pakistan while spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3-40.
Kohli anchored a tricky chase with his unbeaten 100, completed with a cover drive that saw India reach their target. Shreyas Iyer added 56 as India registered their second successive victory in Group A of the tournament with 7.3 overs to spare. Reuters
That’s it from us today. Thanks for joining Tanya and meself. A report will be along off the wires soon and we’ll be back for more Champions Trophy OBO action throughout the coming week. Goodbye!
Updated
India sit pretty at the top of Group A with two wins from two and a net run rate of +0.647. Barring some mathematical catastrophe they will be in the semi finals and also have a week off to rest up before their final fixture against New Zealand a week today. Equally, Pakistan are all but eliminated from the tournament they are ‘hosting’ (cough, nothing to see here at all, cough) barring a complicated series of scenarios unfolding that frankly, I can’t even begin to get my noodle around.
Updated
The Captains speak:
Rohit Sharma:
We started superbly with the ball and we knew the wicket could get slower but backed our experienced batters to go out there and get 240. Credit goes to Kuldeep, Axar and Jadeja who have played a lot. Rizwan and Saud stitched a good stand together and it was important not to let the game drift.
Not to forget how Shami, Hardik, Harshit bowled as well. It was a good performance from the entire unit. The boys understand what kind of job is required from them. It’s tricky at times because not everyone will get a bowl. I try to figure out who’s creating the most problems to the batters and make decisions.
Virat loves representing the country and doing what he does best, which is what he did today. People sitting inside the dressing room aren’t surprised with what he did.”
Mohammad Rizwan:
We won the toss but didn’t make the most of it. We wanted to get 280 but their bowlers did really well in the middle overs. When Saud and I were batting, we wanted to go deep but our shot selection was bad and we lost wickets, which is why we were kept to 240. Abrar gave us the wicket but Kohli and Gill took the game far from us. We must improve our fielding. We made a lot of mistakes in this match and we hope to work on them going forward.”
Here is the man of the hour – Virat Kohli is player of the match:
It feels good to bat in that manner in an important game, where a spot for semis was there to be taken. After Rohit fell my job was clear - to control the middle overs, not take risks against spinners and take on the pacers. I was happy with the template, it’s how I play in ODIs. I have a decent understanding of my game, it’s about keeping the outside noise away, take care of my energy levels and thoughts.
It’s easy for me to get pulled into expectations and frenzy around games like these. I kept telling myself I’ll give 100% while fielding. It’s why I take pride in it. When you put your head down and go about your work, things work out.
Clarity is important, when there is pace on the ball you have to get scoring. Shubman and Shreyas have been excellent. Everyone’s got a decent knock in these conditions, that’ll augur well in the coming matches. At 36, a week off is very good! It takes a lot out of me to put in that much effort.”
Virat Kohli goes to 100* and India win by six wickets!
Scenes. Of course Kohli gets a century. Of course he does. A drive through the covers gets him there and India over the line. King Kohli removes his crown helmet and gestures for everyone to calm down.
51 ODI centuries for Virat, bragging rights and seamless Champions Trophy progression for India.
Updated
42nd over: India 238-4 (Kohli 95, Axar 2 ) Shaheen well and truly loses his radar with three wides given away. Kohli pulls for two to go to 90… Shaheen is called for another wide, too short! Nine needed for India and ten needed for Kohli. Chicanery from Shaheen to deny Kohli his ton? Surely not… A lash down the ground takes Kohli to 92 and a flick off a full toss takes him to 94… India need five to win. He couldn’t could he? Yikes! A quick single off the last ball nearly sees Kohli run out but the throw misses! He would have been long gone. As it is he keeps the strike for the next over. India need four to win and Kohli needs five for a century.
Updated
41st over: India 225-4 (Kohli 87, Axar 1 )Pakistan review for an LBW against Kohli but there’s nowt doing as the big man got a big hunk of bat on it. Axar Patel is the new batter. India need 17 runs to win.
WICKET! Pandya c Mohammad Rizwan b Shaheen Shah Afridi (India 223-4)
Hardik spanks Shaheen back over his head for four! Kohli smiles widely at the non-strikers end, he doesn’t seem perturbed by his new partner smiting the runs he needs to get a century. “Kohli, Kohli” the crowd chants as Hardik takes a single to mid off. Loud cheers as Kohli pinches strike back with one ball left in the over.
Gone! Hardik departs after getting a tickle on a leg side swipe to a Shaheen short ball.
40th over: India 215-3 (Kohli 85) India need 19 to win. Virat Kohli needs 14 for a century.
Updated
39th over: India 215-3 (Kohli 85, Pandya 1) Hardik Pandya is promoted as India look for a quick kill. He tips and runs a single off the final ball of the over to pinch strike from his hundred hunting senior partner. Read the room, Hardik!
WICKET! Iyer c Imam-ul-Haq b Khushdil Shah 56 (India 214-3)
Khushdil into his seventh over. Kohli misses a flick off his pads but the appeal is short lived as the ball was clearly heading down past the leg stump. Kohli takes a single and Shreyas Iyer clubs down the ground for four!
GONE! Shreyas has to drag himself off as he is well caught by Imam who puts in the dive at short cover. The crowd go momentarily quiet. Fair to say that was against the run of play y’know.
38th over: India 209-2 (Kohli 84, Iyer 52) Haris Rauf worked for eight runs with no fuss whatsoever. All eyes on Virat and his quest for three figures.
37th over: India 201-2 (Kohli 81, Iyer 50) Abrar Ahmed skips through his final over, he finishes with 1-28 from his ten overs which is a top effort but he would have dearly loved that wicket column to be more bulging. Shreyas Iyer goes to fifty with a drive down to long on. Pakistan are drooped and desperate.
36th over: India 200-2 (Kohli 81, Iyer 49) The two hundred comes up for India and Virat Kohli marches towards what would be his 51st ODI century. India need 42 runs… Kohli needs to get nineteen of them.
35th over: India 189-2 (Kohli 71, Iyer 48) Abrar Ahmed with his ninth over, he’s been the one bright spot for Pakistan. The ball to get rid of Gill will provide a sliver of succour. Kohli and Iyer are content to work what they can without risk, four singles taken. India need 53 runs in 90 balls. Time for a drink and a rummage into the abyss for Pakistan.
34th over: India 185-2 (Kohli 69, Iyer 46) Naseem Shah goes to some short stuff to try and summon a wicket but there’s still six runs off the over as Iyer pulls for two off the final ball. He’s approaching a half century of his own in this cakewalk run chase.
33rd over: India 179-2 (Kohli 67, Iyer 43) Singles coming easily for India, all very flat out there for the team in green. Pakistan are starring down the barrel of aqn early Champions Trophy bath.
Those spills will cost Pakistan dearly. Do they not know catches win matches? Ahem.
32nd over: India 175-2 (Kohli 65, Iyer 41) Shreyas Iyer carves Khushdil for four off the first ball of the over to lump the pressure well and truly onto the bowler. Only three more added after but that is seven off the over and India are cantering towards their target.
31st over: India 168-2 (Kohli 65, Iyer 34) SIX! More spin from Salman Agha and Shreyas greets him with a gigantic swipe over the leg side and into the crowd. This could all be over quite quickly. The tv coverage clocks the six at 102 metres. India need 74 from 19 overs.
30th over: India 160-2 (Kohli 64, Iyer 27) Shreyas Iyer has been subdued… until now! He reverse paddles powerfully for four and then goes back to back with an orthodox sweep for four more. DROP! Shakeel spills Shreyas Iyer at midwicket! It was above his head but he got two hands to it as he leapt and the replay shows it was pretty regulation. Rizwan looks murderous under his zinc smears.
29th over: India 150-2 (Kohli 64, Iyer 17) Kohli whips Shaheen down the ground with a flamingo flourish of the back leg. Plenty of ego in that shot and India’s target is now less than a hundred away. Ten runs in total off the over as Kohli whips, tucks and scampers. He’s been at his imperious best so far today.
Updated
28th over: India 140-2 (Kohli 55, Iyer 16) Another tidy over but sans breakthrough from Khushdil. Four singles off it. Shaheen is coming back on with Pakistan increasingly desperate to find a wicket.
27th over: India 136-2 (Kohli 53, Iyer 14) Shot! Kohli breaks the shackles by clubbing Naseem Shah over the covers for a dismissive four off the first ball of the over. That’s fifty up for Virat off 62 balls. India win if he bats another ten overs. Four more singles makes it eight from the over.
26th over: India 128-2 (Kohli 47, Iyer 12) India have scored just 17 runs off the last five overs as Pakistan try to squeeze a wicket from the toothpaste tube. Khushdil returns to the attack and the left-armer keeps the pressure on with just two singles added.
25th over: India 126-2 (Kohli 46, Iyer 11) Naseem Shah is impressive on his return, just a single to Kohli who drives wide of point and scampers through to keep strike.
Updated
24th over: India 124-2 (Kohli 45, Iyer 10) Another miserly over from Abrar, just a Kohli single nudged down the ground. Pakistan are bringing back Naseem for another burst. They need wickets, India have 26 overs to get 118 runs.
Updated
23rd over: India 123-2 (Kohli 44, Iyer 10) Shreyas Iyer hangs back and slaps a Haris Rauf short ball for four through square leg.
22nd over: India 118-2 (Kohli 43, Iyer 6) Abrar Ahmed continues to impress with a warp speed over that costs just three runs. He has 1-18 from his six overs so far. Tidy.
Updated
21st over: India 115-2 (Kohli 41, Iyer 5) Haris Rauf bangs one in short to Kohli who swivels with his leg in the air like a Tiller Girl to pick up four.
20th over: India 109-2 (Kohli 36, Iyer 4) Abrar Ahmed is impressive again, finding some grip off the surface and landing the ball on a handkerchief. Just two singles off it.
19th over: India 107-2 (Kohli 35, Iyer 3) Haris Rauf returns and gets some sharp nip back off the surface that Shreyas Iyey does well to get bat on and squirt inoit the leg side. Things starting to happen for Pakistan, now is the time for them has to be.
18th over: India 102-2 (Kohli 32, Iyer 1) Shreyas Iyer is the new batter. He clips a watchful single to get off the mark. Abrar’s golden ball came out of the front of the hand too. The mind boggles.
Updated
WICKET! Gill b Abrar Ahmed 46 (India 100-2)
An absolute peach! What a ball from Abrar Ahmed to see the back of Shubman Gill. The batter can only stand rooted to the spot in disbelief as a ball that pitches outside leg stump spins sharply to nudge the off bail out of its groove. Play that! Pakistan strike just after drinks.
Updated
17th over: India 99-1 (Gill 46, Kohli 30) Khushdil continues and Gill and Virat put on a masterclass of rotating the strike by hitting the gaps. Six singles off six balls. India on the verge of three figures and time for a drink.
16th over: India 93-1 (Gill 43, Kohli 27) Abrar Ahmed gets one to shoot through low and it nearly skittle Kohli! He jams down the blade just in the nick of time and collects two runs with the ensuing squirt. Two more singles make it four off the over and India continue to progress serenely.
15th over: India 89-1 (Gill 42, Kohli 24) Khushdil replaces Rauf. Is he being made to atone for the dropped catch? He can’t get the wicket but does rattle off a tidy over for the cost of two runs.
You’re still thinking about the dropped catch aren’t you?
14th over: India 87-1 (Gill 41, Kohli 23) Three singles off Abrar Ahmed.
John Starbuck on the wires:
“Jim,
Hello. I notice that on 222 in the first innings there was a wicket. Nice to see a Double Nelson is still working. Mind you, 55 is almost a Half Nelson, which probably indicates a dropped catch. Not that today’s players need that kind of encouragement to drop ‘em.”
Half Nelson also a wrestling move isn’t it? That and a 2006 Ryan Gosling film, obvs.
13th over: India 84-1 (Gill 39, Kohli 22) Virat Kohli unfurls a trademark Virat Kohli cover drive that whistles for four and sees him rack up 14000 runs in ODIs. What a player, he’d love a telling score today.
A single from Kohli brings Gill on strike and he clips for three runs through midwicket. Kohlie then finishes the over with another sublime punch through cover for four more. Be still my beating heart.The crowd clearly feel the same.
Updated
12th over: India 67-1 (Gill 35, Kohli 9) Time for some spin as Abrar Ahmed is summoned for a twirl. No real turn on offer and three singles worked off a quiet over. Pakistan still hurting from that drop off Rauf in the last over, every run will feel like a twist of the knife.
11th over: India 67-1 (Gill 35, Kohli 9) Haris Rauf into the attack and Shubman Gill is DROPPED! Gah! Pakistan have their heads in their hands as an easy chance is shelled by Khushdil in the covers. Went at chest height and burst through the fielder’s hands. Pakistan simply cannot afford to do that.
Updated
10th over: India 64-1 (Gill 35, Kohli 6) Naseem Shah tightens things up, just a single off the over and that’s the end of the Powerplay. India on top but Pakistan have picked up the gilded scalp of Rohit for their efforts.
9th over: India 63-1 (Gill 35, Kohli 5) Runs flowing again for India, Shubman Gill plays a classic front foot drive that goes like a scud missile off his bat and through cover for four. He holds the pose and that one too and why not. Pure as a fresh alpine snow drift. Four more! Smacked down the ground! Gill is growing in confidence with every ball and seemingly seeing it as big as a beachball. Fourteen runs in total off the over.
8th over: India 49-1 (Gill 25, Kohli 3) Naseem Shah is accurate once more, just three runs off his over. Kohli gets off the mark with a clip to leg that brings a couple and then nurdles one into the covers. Pakistan are well aware how much Virat loves playing against them, his energetic running between the wickets is described as being like a ‘cat on a hot tin roof’ by HUGE Tennessee Williams fan Ravi Shastri.
7th over: India 46-1 (Gill 25, Kohli 0) Gill hits a couple of princely boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi! A signature pull over midwicket is followed up by a delicious drive down the ground. A fluky inside edge brings the batter four more and makes it fourteen runs off the over.
6th over: India 32-1 (Gill 11, Kohli 0) Top over from Naseem Shah who looks more at ease now he doesn’t have Rohit prowling down the other end. Five dots to Gill who then nudges a single off the last ball down to mid off. He’ll keep strike for the next.
5th over: India 31-1 (Gill 10, Kohli 0) Guess who comes out at number three for India? Correct! There’s a wild cheer as Virat strides purposefully out to the middle.
WICKET! Rohit Sharma b Shaheen Shah Afridi 20 (India 31-1)
A Shaheen special! Full and swinging in, Rohit can’t get the bat down in time and the stumps are splattered! Big moment in the match. Shaheen celebrates in his customary spread armed fashion. Nine more of those please squire.
Updated
4th over: India 26-0 (Rohit 16, Gill 9) Naseem Shah pulls his length back and is worked away for a couple of singles before Rohit takes a couple of steps down the wicket and launches over extra cover for four more! Hold the pose. The last two balls of the over are defended but Pakistan are in desperate need already.
3rd over: India 20-0 (Rohit 11, Gill 8) Gill gets lucky with an inside edge off Shaheen that traces past the keeper for four. The Elvis-haired seamer is up at 90MPH and Gill defends the next four deliveries as they are right on the money. Shot! SSA goes too full and is belted away through cover for four by Shubman. Eight runs off the over. India ticking already.
Updated
2nd over: India 12-0 (Rohit 11, Gill 0) Incredible bating from Rohit! His first boundary is fortunate, a top edge off the slingy Naseem Shah that flies over the keeper and away for four. Next up is a drool-worthy clip off the pads that soars away for SIX over square leg. He’s the master of that nonchalant pick up shot and it is met with huge cheers from the Indian dominated crowd.
1st over: India 2-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 0) Shaheen Shah Afridi to Rohit Sharma and it is box office stuff. Shaheen’s speeds are right up there and he’s spearing in the yorker first ball! Rohit does well to jam his bat down in time. A wide outside the off side tramline is followed by a clip of the pads by Rohit to get off the mark. Gill is watchful for the rest of the over, digging out two more full balls zeroing in on the stumps. Top first over from Shaheen.
Updated
Shaheen Shah Afridi has the new white Kookaburra in his mitts, let the chase begin!
Thanks Tanya and hello all. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will soon be out in the middle and the first ten overs of this chase will likely decide the outcome of the game. It feels like Pakistan are well short, especially if the dew comes down and the ball zips onto the bat as it did in Lahore last evening. Pakistan need early wickets and to ramp up the pressure from the off. Where’s your money? Let me know by getting in touch on the email on the left flank of this page. All thoughts and theories welcome (within reason).
Time for me to hand over to Jim, who will expertly guide you through India’s chase and Pakistan’s chances of survival in this tournament. Thanks for your messages – bye!
India will need 242 to win
“The pitch was slightly on the slow side,” says Saud Shakeel. Have Pakistan got enough runs? “We need early wickets.”
And that is the story of the match in a nutshell. Pakistan are probably 30 runs short of giving India a run for their money, even on this slightly turgid pitch and slow outfield. Turns out Rizwan and Saud knew what they were doing in their slow accumulation period – unfortunately neither of them could stay around for the last act. Nor could Babar, who looked in great touch A cool cameo from Khushdil at the close at least got Pakistan up to near 250.
India’s bowlers were excellent, intelligent control, as was the fielding – barring those two dropped catches.
Updated
WICKET! Khushdil c Kohli b Harshit 38 (Pakistan 241 all out)
49.4 over: Pakistan 241 all out (Abrar 0) Death bowling to dream on, as Harshit’s first three balls are dots. A desperate Khushdil slog-sweeps the fourth and is caught from a great height at deep midwicket.
Updated
WICKET! Rauf run out (Axar) 9 Pakistan 241-9)
An excellent throw from Axar at deep midwicket beats Rauf coming back for the second.
49th over: Pakistan 241-9 (Khushdil 38, Abrar 0) Bingo! Khushdil pulls Shami’s first ball up and into the ground for SIX. And then Rauf joins in – a top-edged pull flying into the spectators. Shami comes back with a yorker, then the run-out. Invaluable runs for Pakistan.
Updated
48th over: Pakistan 227-8 (Khushdil 31, Rauf 1) Khushdil swings at Harshit’s first ball and misses. Picks up two whacking a full-toss back, clipping the bowler’s fingers in the process. Khushdil is putting everything into his shots but can’t find the boundary. Pakistan turn down a single from the last ball.
47th over: Pakistan 222-8 (Khushdil 27, Rauf 0) Brilliant stuff from Kuldeep in his penultimate over. Can anyone provide some last-over oompa? Incidentally, that was Virat Kohli’s 157th catch in ODIs, behind only Jayawardene and Ponting.
WICKET! Naseem Shah c Kohli b Kuldeep 14 (Pakistan 222-8)
Kuldeep floats one up, Naseem plays a checked drive, and Kohli, running in from the rope, doesn’t drop those.
Updated
46th over: Pakistan 219-7 (Khushdil 26, Naseem Shah 12) What can Pakistan conjure up from this last five overs? Shami thunders in, Shah darts out his bat and guides the ball down nicely to deep third. The crowd have found their voice at last, a Mexican wave rolling around the ground. Naseem can’t make the most of a full toss, but they eke seven from the over.
Updated
45th over: Pakistan 212-7 (Khushdil 23, Naseem Shah 9) Kuldeep beats Shah, who smiles sweetly. But these two do well, a nurdle here, a nurdle there, a punch down the ground, a quick single.
44th over: Pakistan 206-7 (Khushdil 21, Naseem Shah 5) Naseem, now in a helmet, gets a handy thick edge off the returning Harshit – Pakistan will take them any way they come. India are now only one minute behind the clock.
43rd over: Pakistan 200-7 (Khushdil 19, Naseem Shah 0) Two in two. And two slips wait in vain for the hat-trick, as Naseem Shah struts out in a cap and calmly directs the ball into the ground.
WICKET! Shaheen Shah Afridi lbw Kuldeep 0 (Pakistan 200-7)
Possibly the worst review in history as Shaheen Shah Afridi appeals an lbw which would have merrily spun into middle stump, his legs in clay. Kuldeep on a hat-trick!
WICKET! Salman c Jadeja b Kuldeep 19 (Pakistan 200-6)
A leading edge, which Jadeja catches with both hands on the slide at cover point. Did well to clutch on with both hands as he lost his balance.
Updated
42nd over: Pakistan 197-5 (Salman 18, Khushdil 18) Axar’s final over and Khushdil spanks him for SIX, dropping to one knee and slog-sweeping him high into the crowd. The Dubai sky is now a washing-up bowl grey.
41st over: Pakistan 188-5 (Salman 17, Khushdil 11) Can Pakistan reach 220 by 46 and then have a slog? Not if Kuldeep can help it. Rohit, I should have said, is back on the field and agrees to review an lbw against a reverse-sweeping Khushdil. Ooof – umpire’s call. Five singles. Rizwan exclaims and Babar listens in the dressing room.
40th over: Pakistan 183-5 (Salman 15, Khushdil 8) Axar darts them in, Salman and Khushdil continue to be inventive and if they don’t make the boundary, do pick up six runs.
39th over: Pakistan 177-5 (Salman 10, Khushdil 7) A neat reverse sweep by Khushdil deserves four, but a combination of slow outfield and an athletic Shreyas Iyer reduces it to three. Seven from Jadeja’s over, some clever farming of the strike.
38th over: Pakistan 170-5 (Salman 8, Khushdil 2) Blue shirts suddenly everywhere. Axar not the easiest man to knock off the square when you’re searching for runs. Three singles. The cameras pick up happy looking female spectators with gorgeous long hair.
Updated
37th over: Pakistan 167-5 (Salman 6, Khushdil 1) Jadeja bounces away to his fielding position and Pakistan must rebuild again – 250 suddenly looking a long way away.
Updated
WICKET! Tayyab b Jadeja 4( Pakistan (165-5)
The card house starts to collapse. Tayyab plays inside the line of a beauty from Jadeja that pitches on middle, hits off.
Updated
36th over: Pakistan 165-4 (Salman 5, Tayyab 4) Some successful dabing here and there – five singles from Axar’s over.
Updated
35th over: Pakistan 160-4 (Salman 3, Tayyab 1) And from a position of burgeoning promise, Pakistan have now lost both their men in position. Salman and Tayyab must get the measure of this pitch in a hurry. Shakeel had time to pull Hardik for one more four before holeing out.
WICKET! Saud c Axar b HArdik 62 (Pakistan 159-4)
Saud pulls with staccato arms, and this time India hold on, Axar at deep midwicket doing the business.
34th over: Pakistan 154-3 ( Saud 58, Salman 2) After picking up the wicket of Rizwan, breaking a stand of 104 for the third wicket, Axar nearly has a second wicket in the over. But India shell their second catch in five balls as Saud slog-sweeps but Kuldeep is not quick enough to get into position at long on, and lets it through his finger tips.
WICKET! Rizwan b Patel 46 (Pakistan 151-3)
Rizwan can’t make the most of his second life! Merrily foxtrots down the pitch, swings wantonly, misses, and loses his stumps.
Updated
33rd over: Pakistan 150-2 ( Saud 56, Rizwan 46) A wait, for something, but I’m not sure what as we are being shown tourism pictures from Dubai. Hardik is back, and starts with a too-high wide. An off cutter then cuts Riwan in half. Rizwan swipes at one, and Pakistan go for the second, a wayward throw from Shreyas means there’s no risk. Rohit beats the deck in frustration. He’s chewing his fingers next ball as Rizwan gallops down the ground, skies the ball into the Dubai blue and the waiting Harshit Rana runs this way and that, but as the ball falls lets it drop through his fingers.
The score breakdown from the first thirty overs: 52 from the first ten, 27 from the second ten, 50 from the third. If you’re there at the ground, do drop me a line. Is the stadium full, what is the atmosphere like? It seems a little subdued at the moment.
Updated
32nd over: Pakistan 142-2 ( Saud 54, Rizwan 42) Axar Patel resumes after drinks, angling the ball in from a good height. Saud and Rizwan are scampering now between the wickets. Five from the over – the run rate back over 4.4.
Updated
Fifty for Saud Shakeel!
31st over: Pakistan 137-2 ( Saud 50, Rizwan 41) A gorgeous lap by Saud wriggles through the gaps in the field and hurrahs over the rope. Saud walks away with Jadeja about to deliver, the ball sails through and clips the stumps. He apologises and all is well, then reaches his fifty off 63 balls with a single to square leg. The players take drinks, Pakistan emerging from their lethargy with wickets in hand, giving themselves room for expansion in the last 19 overs.
30th over: Pakistan 129-2 ( Saud 44, Rizwan 39) Five from the over. An lbw appeal against Saud who has dropped to his knees. Axar is keen to review, but Rohit is not.
29th over: Pakistan 126-2 ( Saud 43, Rizwan 37)
28th over: Pakistan 121-2 ( Saud 41, Rizwan 34) Shami returns, and the boundaries seem to have freed up Pakistan’s running, and they pick up three singles and a two. In the dugout, Virat Kohli eats a biscuit and chats animatedly.
27th over: Pakistan 116-2 ( Saud 38, Rizwan 32) Rizwan joins the party, clumping Jadeja to the midwicket boundary. A handful of singles – and nine from the over.
26th over: Pakistan 107-2 ( Saud 37, Rizwan 24) Two boundaries! A reverse-sweep, and a conventional sweep by Saud reach the rope. The crowd wake up and the lime shirts find their voice.
Updated
25th over: Pakistan 99-2 ( Saud 29, Rizwan 24) A boundary! Rizwan finds the rope at last, sweeping a sunglassed Jadeja on one knee.. Jadeja stops a single off his own bowling by diving athletically to his left. At the half way stage, Pakistan are meandering at less than four an over.
24th over: Pakistan 94-2 ( Saud 28, Rizwan 20) Four singles – the last finishing in a direct hit from cover, which Saud just beats.
23rd over: Pakistan 90-2 ( Saud 23, Rizwan 17) So nearly a four as Saud angles Jadeja (it is he) between backward point and point but the ball slows to a crawl as it approaches the rope. The outfield is pedestrian. India remain 11 minutes behind the clock, but Jadeja (as predicted by Arul) speeds through his first over in two minutes. There have been 47 balls since the last boundary.
22nd over: Pakistan 86-2 ( Saud 23, Rizwan 17) Kuldeep, wayward curls, whirling arms. The crowd are bubbling, they want passion fruit and cream, but are being served bread and cheese. Pakistan take a risky single to a reverse ramp by Saud Shakeel, but short third can’t pick up.
21st over: Pakistan 82-2 ( Saud 21, Rizwan 15) Rizwan advances and yahoos Harshit over cover, but just for a single. The narrative continues as Pakistan play more positively, but continue to pick out the fielders.
Hello Arul Kanhere! “India is behind the clock but have Jadeja’s 10 overs,” So, they’re basically 11 minutes ahead.” The lack of boundaries also helping.
20th over: Pakistan 79-2 ( Saud 20, Rizwan 13) Just two singles from Kuldeep’s second over, as Pakistan’s run-rate drops below four. The 80th dot ball is tapped into the covers by Rizwan.
19th over: Pakistan 77-2 ( Saud 19, Rizwan 12) The wind plucks at the sun umbrellas, as Harshit replaces the excellent Hardik (6-0-18-1), but the parsimonious bowling continues. Pakistan at the moment too fearful to run twos or go for the big shot. Some more strike rotation needed urgently.
18th over: Pakistan 74-2 ( Saud 17, Rizwan 11) Axar’s tall figure strides past umpire Reiffel – as we watch the 73rd dot ball of the innings. Saud sweeps handsomely, but just for a single. India are 11 minutes behind the clock.
17th over: Pakistan 72-2 ( Saud 16, Rizwan 10) The dog, who smells of stagnant water, joins me on the sofa while my son does some press-ups in his pyjamas. This game continues to meander along. More excellent tight bowling by Hardik.
16th over: Pakistan 70-2 ( Saud 15 Rizwan 9) Shackles released! Saud paddle sweeps Axar up and over the keeper for four. Three singles follow.
The crowd? They’re, apparently, still queueing to get in.
Updated
15th over: Pakistan 63-2 ( Saud 9 Rizwan 8) Hardik rearranges his field with an agitated wave of the arms. Called into action earlier than he might have been when Shami went off, he’s been economy personified. Stand-in captain Shubman Gill being helped by his immaculate bowlers and Pakistan reticence. Just two singles from the over -there have now been 32 balls since the last boundary. Just two twos run by Pakistan so far today.
Updated
14th over: Pakistan 61-2 ( Saud 8, Rizwan 7) Shami is in the zone now, speed around 138mph, seam immaculate. Two singles from the over – the run rate now down to just over four an over, as they take DRINKS.
13th over: Pakistan 59-2 ( Saud 7, Rizwan 6) Just one single from Hardik’s over, a back foot drive from Saud Shakeel. Pakistan in rebuilding mode, but need to keep the runs ticking over. A pensive Babar, who has changed into his training kit, sits bare foot on the balcony.
Shami returns - but Rohit is off the field
12th over: Pakistan 55-2 ( Saud 6, Rizwan 5) Shami returns, calf twinge seemingly sorted.
Updated
11th over: Pakistan 58-2 ( Saud 6, Rizwan 6) Three risk-free singles. And it seems Rohit is off the pitch – Shubman Gill taking over the captaincy. A good scattering of lime green shirts in the crowd.
Updated
10th over: Pakistan 52-2 ( Saud 3, Rizwan 4) Enter Rizwan, with his patch kit. He immediately sweeps Kuldeep for four.
WICKET! Imam-ul-Haq run out (Axar) 10 (Pakistan 47-2)
Oh dear. Imam hits the ball straight to Axar at mid-on and sets off for a single that might have been on had there been a bean bag fielding at mid on. Unfortunately for the diving Iman, it was Axar Patel, who has time to eye up the stumps before throwing them down.
Updated
9th over: Pakistan 47-0 ( Imam ul Haq 10, Saud 2) Babar eyes up Hardik’s first ball, which is slow and full and eans into a cover drive for the ages. But Hardik strikes back immediately, celebrating with the talking hand. Saud Shakeel’s first ball is deflected down past Rahul – given as four leg byes.
WICKET! Babar c Rahul b Hardik 23 (Pakistan 41-1)
Hardik drags one back and Babar tries to send it shimmying through the covers again, but can only edge it to Rahul. Five fours in that 23 of increasing assurance – but Pakistan needed him to go on.
8th over: Pakistan 37-0 ( Imam ul Haq 10, Babar Azam 19) Time for Axar Patel, all long levers and huge shades. He twirls the ball from giant hand to giant hand – replays from th game against Bangladesh show him challenging both edges of the bat. But here goes Babar, dancing, and lofting him over mid-off for four.
7th over: Pakistan 31-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 14) Hardik replaces Shami, the five-wicket hero against Bangladesh, and who remains off the field. He’s as slim as a bamboo, diamond earrings in each lobe. Babar glances over his shoulders, and then drives an offering outside off stump through the covers for four.
6th over: Pakistan 26-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 10) Imam is turned inside out by Harshit again and again, feet rooted to the crease. Frustrated, he flies at the fourth ball but misses, flies again at the sixth but can only get an inside edge. Just one run – a wide – from the over.
Shami hobbles off
5th over: Pakistan 25-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 10) Imam is tempted, nibbling at Shami as the ball shimmies past the outside edge. Another beauty from Shami has the slips applauding – but here is the physio, massaging Shami’s right calf. He finishes the over but leaves the field, which could be huge news.
We see a clip from the players walking onto the pitch at the start of the match, Virat gives Babar an affectionate pat on the back. Good to see.
4th over: Pakistan 22-0 ( Imam ul Haq 6, Babar Azam 10) Come on Babar don’t get marooned – and here he goes, whipping Harshit for four from outside off stump, and then a glorious stride and drive through the covers for four more. It took Pakistan ten overs to get to 22 against New Zealand – here they make it after four.
3rd over: Pakistan 14-0 ( Imam ul Haq 6, Babar Azam 2) Shami again, and this time with more control. Imam, glasses gleaming under his helmet, plays and misses at the darting ball but collects a handful of runs either side of the cricket.
2nd over: Pakistan 10-0 ( Imam ul Haq 2, Babar Azam 2) Harshit Rana at the other end, practitioner of an excellent heavy ball. Pakistan take a quick single from his first – not entirely convincingly. Harshit joins in the wide party with one down the legside as the smell of brewing coffee wafts in from the kitchen. Babar picks up a wristy couple off his hips.
1st over: Pakistan 6-0 ( Imam ul Haq 1, Babar Azam 0) The pitch looks like rolled oatmeal. Mohammad Shami has the ball, twists and turns at the top of his mark, the first ball is on the money, the second is wide and well stopped by the diving Rahul. Another wide, and then a third, a fourth, a FIFTH – this is all very helpful for Pakistan who had a dismally slow start against New Zealand, with lots of domestic pressure piling on the slim shoulders of Babar.
The ground doesn’t look full – yet – but the dominant shirt colour is definitely blue.
The anthems
Go off without incident. Cute children in white T-shirts look absolutely thrilled to be mascots. India huddle, and Babar and Imam stroll out.
“Morning Tanya.” Good morning Krishnamoorthy v!
“This is cricket classico!
“I grew up in the 80s and the 90s to see Pakistan regularly beating India with the unplayable Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir and batsmen who appeared to have been stuck to the pitch with an adhesive. Miandad , Abbbas, Raza.
“Then the tables turned and have stayed turned. These days it is considered an upset if Pakistan wins but the match is seen, sadly, as a war between the two countries thanks to irresponsible behavior and politicians being politicians on both sides. The death of India Pakistan clash seen simply as a cricket match shall remain my greatest disappointment in life.”
The commentators chew over the conditions. A slow pitch, those who have done well are those who rotate the strike. A good score? 250 a bare minimum.
“Is there space behind the sofa?” asks Michael White. Of course, though give me a couple of minutes warning for a quick hoover.
Indian XI
India: Rohit Sharma, (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami
An unchanged side.
Pakistan XI
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (capt and wkt), Tayyab tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Imam-ul-Haq replaces Fakhar Zaman, who picked up an oblique injury against New Zealand.
Updated
Rizwan: It looks like a good surface. If you play an ICC event, every game is important. The boys are familiar with the conditions and we’ve done well in this ground as well. We lost the last game but it’s in the past for us. One change: Imam in for Fakhar.
Rohit: It’s not the same surface but looks similar to what we played on, in the last game. It could get slower. Great opportunity to come out and do what we do as a team. The way we played the last game...it wasn’t easy for us and we had to work our way. You want to test yourself and be under pressure. We’re playing the same team.
Pakistan win the toss and will bat
They wait for Ravi Shastri to finish his boxing-match exuberances. Rohit Sharma, all in royal blue, has his hand in his pocket; Mohammad Rizwan, in a lime green top, dark green trousers, tucks his hands behind his back. Rizwan calls heads – and heads it is!
Updated
A quick look back eight years to the 2017 Champions Trophy Final at The Oval, when Pakistan turned the tables upside down and beat India in the final, thanks to a fabulous century from Fakhar Zaman and a thrilling opening spell by Mohammad Amir.
The toss will be in about ten minutes, the day hot, hot, hot – 33 degrees at just after noon. The 1pm start means there won’t be any dew for the calling captains to consider.
Preamble
Hello! What better reason to roll out of bed on a Sunday morning than for India v Pakistan, cousin v cousin, grudge v gripe, cricket con passione.
We’re in Dubai today, due to the Indian government/BCCI’s refusal to play in Pakistan, and the match is a sell out. In fact it was a sell out within minutes of the tickets going public – expect a choppy sea of blue and green shirts, alongside the cacophony of noise,
The last time the two countries met in an ICC 50-over game was at Ahmedabad during the 2023 World Cup, India knocking off an easy win by seven wickets in the 31st over.
They’re huge favourites today too, and come into the game having beaten Bangaldesh on Thursday, thanks largely to a century from Shubman Gill and five wickets from Mohammad Shami. Pakistan, meanwhile, crashed and burned against New Zealand, losing by 60 runs, and face being knocked out early from the first ICC event they’ve hosted in 29 years.
But forget the stats deep-dive for now. This is Pakistan. This is Pakistan v India. Anything is possible.
Play starts at 9am GMT, and there’s plenty of space on the OBO sofa.
Updated
