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India A Vs Pakistan A on 25th December 2003 at Eden Gardens

                          (Report by Venkat)

A historic day indeed, as ties between the two warlocked nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan formally resumed in a Tri-Nation Second XI Invitational Tournament at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The stadium was filled to just under full capacity, as they came to witness an Indo-Pak match on Indian soil after 4 years.

India A led by Tamil Nadu batsman Hemang Badani, won the toss and elected to bat, on what looked like a flat, slow turning wicket. With scores of 300 becoming gettable in the previous two matches, India had to post something in the range of 315-320 to feel safe on this wicket. Gautam Gambhir, who has been in sublime form right throughout the season, continued his touch when he blazed India A to a start with a run-rate of 7 in the first 15 overs. Sanjay Bangar, in the meanwhile, looked sedate and watchful, and once he got set, showed his attacking skills. Gambhir looked impatient at times and eventually fell for a well made 82 off 75 balls caught by Junaid Zia off leggie Mansoor Amjad. A confident Mohammad Kaif then walked out to the middle, fresh from his knock of 71 and added 40 useful runs with Sanjay Bangar, before the latter played a loose shot to a Naved Latif outswinger only to be caught behind by Amin-Ur-Rehman for 81. Hemang Badani, fell soon after misreading the line of a straight ball from Naved Latif, giving the all-rounder his second bag. The wicket of Badani, brought Yuvraj Singh to the wicket at the score of 196 for 3. The Indians, who lost their way in the previous game around about the 35-45 over mark, ensured that they give nothing this time around.

If they paired together at the Lord's, it was time for them to show their nexus at the Eden Gardens. Yuvraj started off in a pretty slow yet steady manner and Kaif, did what he usually does best - rotate the strike. This was to further frustrate the Pakis as Yuvi finally opened up around the 41st over. They got stuck into the Paki bowlers, as none of them were able enough to stop the run flow. From 227/3 off 41.3 overs to 277/3 at the end of the 45th, it was all Yuvi and Kaif, as they hammered the spinners and the pacers all over the park. Yuvraj got his 50 off just 38 balls and Kaif, got his second consecutive one off 60 balls. They both added 121 crucial runs before Yuvraj held out to Rauf Khan off Shahid Afridi for a quickfire 61. Kaif then went on a one-man assault at the Pakis, till he got stumped off a wide from Mohammad Hafeez in the last ball of the India A innings for 75 off 74 balls. India ended their innings at 329/6 in their allotted 50 overs.

Pakistan A began their next-to-impossible run chase with their discards Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir. But, soon disaster struck the visitors as they lost Nazir to a loose shot in the fourth ball of the innings to Bhandari. The ever flamboyant Shahid Afridi, tried to entertain the Kolkatans before skying a Bhandari ball to Yuvraj in the 3rd over. Mohammad Hafeez, then followed after Munaf bowled a jabber by inducing an edge and the rest was completed by Ajay Ratra. Pakistan were 26 for 3. Faisal Iqbal then edged an outswinger to skipper Badani to shallow their chances further, with the score on 31 for 4. Pakistan A in dire straits, and Salman Butt further added salt on the wound by playing a reckless shot to Sarandeep, to give Amit Bhandari his 4th victim. In the meanwhile, Bilal Asad walked in and played some spanking and powerful shots, but finally edged on on to the stumps, falling to Bangar, with the score at 76/6. Amin-Ur-Rahman and Naved Latif at the crease, were mesmerised by a superb spell of bowling by Mumbai skipper Sairaj Bahutule, who bowled 2 maidens on the trot. Amin then slammed a six off Bangar, before holding out to Sarandeep off Bahutule for 21. Naved Latif, then found an able ally in Mansoor Amjad, who kept the Indian bowlers at bay, helping Latif to reach his 50.
 

Hemang, then got his part-timer Dinesh Mongia on and Amjad didn't last long as Mongia trapped him leg before. The score was 166/8. Junaid Zia joined Naved in the middle and played pretty cautiously, as Latif was dealing with the Indian attack in sixers at the other end. Zia, played very cautiously to give Naved Latif, a well deserved century, which had 5 sixers and 8 fours. Then Junaid opened up, but only to give back a skying return catch to Yuvraj Singh. Naved, in the meanwhile continued his severe attack on the Indian bowling attack, before finally mistiming one to Sarandeep at long on off Yuvraj Singh for a superb and entertaining 128 run knock, which contained 11 fours and as much as 7 sixes in total. The Pakistani innings ended at 240 all out, giving India a comprehensive 89 run victory in the vital final match of the first leg. India gain 4 points to remain behind Sri Lanka while Pakistan have to win the other 2 matches of the other leg, to qualify for the finals on the 30th

Amit Bhandari, for his bowling effort of 4 wickets for 47 runs was declared the Man-of-the-Match.

 

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