COCHIN, India, 3 April 2005 — Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid cracked centuries and Sachin Tendulkar grabbed a five-wicket haul as India crushed Pakistan by 87 runs in their opening One-Day International yesterday.
Dravid and Sehwag shared in a 201-run stand for the third wicket as India made 281 for eight in their 50 overs. Pakistan were then bowled out for 194 in 45.2 overs.
It was the best third-wicket partnership for India against Pakistan, beating the 161 by Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin at Toronto in 1996 and rescued the hosts after they were reeling at four for two on a flat wicket in hot, humid conditions. Sehwag cracked nine fours and three sixes in his explosive 95-ball 108 and Dravid had six hits to the fence in his 104.
Pakistan made a promising start, Salman Butt hitting two fours in the opening over, but they lost wickets at regular intervals.
The visitors, reduced to 64 for four, were looking to consolidate when Tendulkar got the key wicket of captain Inzamam ul-Haq, bowling him for 37 with a quicker delivery.
Tendulkar then used his occasional spin to send back all-rounders Abdul Razzaq (5) and Shahid Afridi (8) in quick succession to take Pakistan out of contention.
He finished with five for 50, the second five-wicket haul of his career. Tendulkar’s career-best five for 32 also came at the same ground against Australia in 1998.
“The boys worked very hard in tough weather conditions but these things happen,” Inzamam told reporters. “The batsmen failed in their jobs, but we hope to come back from this loss in the next game.”
Pakistan seamer Rana Naveed got them off to a dream start in the morning, having Tendulkar (4) caught at mid-on while attempting an awkward pull. Indian captain Saurav Ganguly, criticized for his poor batting form, was bowled round his legs for a first ball duck as he shuffled across his stumps to flick.
India could have been in deeper trouble with Sehwag leading a charmed life at the crease.
The opener was dropped first ball by Mohammad Hafeez at point and then again on eight when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal could not hold on to an edge.
Sehwag made Pakistan pay for those lapses, racing from 50 to his seventh one-day 100 in just 29 balls.
“If you drop a player like Sehwag, it can prove very expensive,” Inzamam said. “But 280 was still gettable on this wicket, the turning point was when we slipped from 45 for no loss to 65 for four.”
Sehwag was finally bowled by Abdul Razzaq while trying to heave him across the line.
Wickets started to tumble again after Sehwag’s dismissal, Yuvraj Singh (16), Mohammad Kaif (7) and Mahendra Dhoni (3) falling to off-spinner Arshad Khan.
Dravid completed his 10th one-day century but did not last long after that, run out while going for a quick single. Arshad came back strongly from his early punishment to finish with four wickets for 33 from six overs.
Pakistan were coasting at 45 without loss before the scenario changed in three eventful overs. Akmal (17) slashed Lakshmipathy Balaji straight to Sehwag at short point, Butt was caught off Ashish Nehra at cover for 26 and Shoaib Malik (4) cut Balaji to Yuvraj Singh at point. Paceman Zaheer Khan then dismissed Yousuf Youhana for a duck, taking a superb one-handed diving catch off his own bowling to set the stage for Tendulkar’s heroics.
The next match of the six-game series will be played in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
