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Dhaka: Shahid Afridi displayed a stupendous show in the end to script a dramatic victory for Pakistan against India and virtually knock them out of the Asia Cup at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on Sunday.
Sohaib Maqsood got run out, Umar Gul and Mohammad Talha were caught in the deep. And in some form of poetic justice, Saeed Ajmal was bowled around his legs by Ashwin’s carom ball. Pakistan were throwing away a game like only they knew how to. Their last line of offence was an out-of-form Shahid Afridi.
One day past the official age of 34, the Pathan blocked a few. And then, like an amnesiac axe-man struggling to recall the purpose of his weapon, he started swinging away. He slogged Jadeja for a six, swept Bhuvaneshwar Kumar for four and took his team into the last over needing 10.
Virat Kohli trusted Ashwin for the over. Ashwin dismissed Ajmal. Afridi returned to strike. Ashwin bowled a flat, short ball outside the off-stump. Afridi made some room. He flat-batted it over extra-cover for six. It's not the direction in which such deliveries ever travel to. But Afridi has been known to do crazier things. Ashwin tried the ball again. Afridi made some room again. He swung it over long-on.
Ravichandran Ashwin struck at the crucial time to dismiss Mohammad Hafeez. Hafeez hit a gritty half-ton to revive Pakistan's innings after quick wickets in their chase of 246. Hafeez's fifty came off 82 balls and took Pakistan total past 150-mark after they were reduced to 113/4 in the 23rd over. He also added 50-run stand with Sohaib Maqsood for the fifth wicket to frustrate India.
Amit Mishra justified his inclusion with double strike and led Indian fightback. Pakistan failed to capitalise the start given by their openers as they started losing wickets at regular intervals.
Mishra gave Pakistan a huge blow in the form of Umar Akmal and leave them stuttering at 113/4 in 22.2 overs.
India made a brief comeback when Ravichandran Ashwin and Mishra struck in quick succession to dismiss Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad respectively.
Pakistan suffered a massive blow soon after when their skipper Misbah-ul-Haq got run-out in a huge mix-up with Mohammad Hafeez.
Shehzad and Sharjeel gave Pakistan brisk start as they added 71 runs in 11 overs to lay the foundation for their team
Sharjeel smashed a six over mid wicket off Mohammed Shami to take Pakistan past 50 runs in the 8th over.
Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja (52) hit a timely unbeaten half-century as India recovered from a mid-innings collapse to post a modest 245 for eight.
Opener Rohit Sharma (56), who finally found his touch after a lean patch, and Ambati Rayudu (58) also did their bit but none of the batsman could make it big. However, India had at least something on board to fight for.
Rayudu scored 58 from 62 balls, while Jadeja was unbeaten on 52 from 49 balls (4x4, 2x6).
Experienced spinner Saeed Ajmal (3/40) bowled nicely in the death overs to remove three batsmen while debutant pacer Mohammad Talha (2/22) and off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez (2/38) took two wickets apiece.
Jadeja made full use of his reprieve on 12 when Hafeez dropped a sitter to post his ninth century.
It was Hafeez, who trapped Dhawan to give Pakistan their first breakthrough but India had the match in control with Sharma and Kohli in the middle.
Sharma's approach was different from what he looked after a poor outing in South Africa and New Zealand.
He pulled Gul over square leg to break free and he showed no mercy against pacer Junaid Khan, punching the left arm pacer for consecutive six and four.
Victim of Sharma's assault, Khan conceded 25 runs from his three overs before being taken away.
The duo mostly scored in boundaries and added a quick 38 runs from 36 balls before Gul gave Pakistan the biggest breakthrough in Kohli.
It turned out to be a soft dismissal as the in-form Indian skipper was done in by an away going delivery when he edged it to the wicketkeeper, looking to work it away towards the third man.
Sharma cruised to his 22nd half-century in just 44 balls with seven fours and two sixes but he could not make it big after getting out on a rash shot.
At a time when India needed to play sensibly, Kohli, India's top batsmen did not show any patience, and Sharma was no different.
When the situation demanded him to carry his innings forward, Sharma offered a loose pull shot top-edging a short pitched ball to hand debutant Talha his first ODI wicket.
Hafeez took a running catch to dismiss Sharma and almost collided with Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan who had to go out of the ground after hurting his knee.
Talha was impressive with his pace and bowled to a steady line as he dried up the boundaries.
Looking to improvise and work the ball over midwicket, Rahane found Hafeez who took a sharp rising catch to give Talha a second wicket.
Talha had an impressive first spell of 7-1-22-2 that plummeted India's run-rate especially when Dhoni was not there to step up down the order.
With the spin duo of Hafeez and Ajmal, Pakistan gave away only 21 runs in the batting powerplay that also yielded the wicket of Karthik.
Earlier, Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bowl.
One change of each team -- in Pakistan Mohammad Talha debut in for Anwar Ali while in India Amit Mishra brought back for Stuart Binny.
Teams
India Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (Capt.), Ambati Rayudu, Ajiyanka Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindran Jadeja, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Pakistan Sharjeel Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt.), Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Talha, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan
Brief scores
India 245 for 8 (Rayudu 58, Sharma 54, Jadeja 52*, Ajmal 3-40)
Pakistan 249 for 9 (Hafeez 75, Ashwin 3-44)
Result Pakistan won by 1 wicket
Points: Pakistan 4, India 0
MOM Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)
