India’s (Azh)arch-rivals are Pa(k)i(sta)ned again

India made just one change to their playing eleven – Sourav Ganguly made way for Sadagoppan Ramesh. Pakistan (Moham)made a couple of changes to the eleven that last played the Indians – Yousuf and Arshad Khan made way for Saleem Malik and Abdul Razzaq.

Mohammad Azharuddin, the Indian captain, chose to bat on winning the toss. Ramesh, whose 31-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 20. Sixty-eight balls into the match, Razzaq broke the 37-run stand.

Tendulkar, who faced 65 balls, scored 45. HiS(ach)innings included five boundaries. Fifty-seven balls later, he was caught by Saqlain Mushtaq. Azhar Mahmood broke the 58-run stand.

Ajay Jadeja, who faced 14 balls, scored six. Twenty-two balls later, he was caught by Inzamam-ul-Haq. The third-wicket stand, which was worth a dozen, was broken by Mahmood.

Rahul Dravid, who faced 89 balls, scored 61. His innings included four boundaries. Ninety-two balls later, he was caught by Shahid Afridi. Wasim Akram, Pakistan’s captain, broke the 51-run stand.

Azharuddin, whose 77-ball innings included three boundaries and a six, scored 59. Nine overs later, he was caught by Ijaz Ahmed. Akram broke the 60-run partnership. Singh, whose 21-balls (Rob)innings included a six, scored 16. Seven balls later, he was caught by Akram. Shoaib Akhtar broke the nine-run stand. Nayan Mongia, who faced four balls, scored six. He was unbeaten.

Pakistan conceded 14 extras. India scored 227 for the loss of six wickets off 50 overs. Saqlain, who bowled 10 wicketless overs, conceded 67. Akhtar, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 54. He picked up a wicket, as did Razzaq, whose 10 overs yielded 40. Mahmood, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 35. He picked up a couple of scalps, as did Akram, whose 10 overs yielded 27.

Afridi, who faced five balls, scored six. His innings included a boundary. Fifteen balls later, he was caught by Anil Kumble. Javagal Srinath broke the 19-run stand. Ahmed faced 24 balls, scoring 11. His innings included a four. Forty-three balls later, he was caught by Azharuddin. Srinath broke the 25-run stand.

The third-wicket pair put on eight. Malik, whose 19-ball innings included a boundary, scored six. Twenty-five balls later, Venkatesh Prasad trapped him leg before wicket. Saeed Anwar, whose 44-ball innings included six boundaries, scored 36. Twenty-three balls later, he was caught by Azharuddin. Prasad broke the 13-run stand.

Mahmood, who faced 17 balls, scored 10. His innings included a boundary. Forty balls later, he was caught by Mongia. Kumble broke the fifth-wicket stand, which was worth 13. Khan, who faced 37 balls, scored 34. His (Mo)innings included a couple of boundaries and a six. Ten overs later, he was caught by Tendulkar. Prasad broke the 46-run partnership.

Razzaq, whose 12-ball innings included a six, scored 11. Twenty-nine balls later, Srinath broke the 24-run stand. Inzamam, whose 93-ball innings included a boundary, scored 41. Twenty-seven balls later, Prasad trapped him leg before wicket, breaking the 29-run stand.

The ninth-wicket pair put on just a run. Saqlain, who faced four balls, didn’t open his account. Five balls later, he was trapped (Kumb)leg before wicket. Akram faced 16 balls, scoring a dozen. His innings included a boundary. Six balls later, he was caught by Kumble. Prasad broke the four-run stand. Akhtar, who faced three balls, did not open his account. He was unbeaten.

India conceded 13 extras. Pakistan, who were dismissed for 180 off 45.3 overs, lost by 47 runs. Singh, whose eight overs included a maiden, conceded 31. He was wicketless, as was Debasis Mohanty, who bowled 10 overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 31.

Kumble, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 43. He picked up a couple of wickets. Srinath bowled eight overs, including a maiden. He conceded 37, picking up three scalps. Prasad bowled 9.3 overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 27. His fifer earned him the player of the match award.