Rahul Dravid returns to the pavilion after guiding India to a five-wicket victory in the fourth one-day international yesterday. Picture: AP |
Backed by a vociferous Indian crowd from a separate enclosure, Pathan dealt another blow when he trapped Yousuf Youhana leg before for nine.
India introduced spinner Murali Karthik in the 15th over hoping to tighten the grip, but things did not go the way they wanted.
Zaheer Khan too wavered in length and bowled short at Inzamam-ul-Haq, who pulled and cut with ease to settle down quickly.
Hameed exhibited the same form he displayed in Peshawar. He drove elegantly and picked the right balls to hit. At 89, Hameed, who was five short of his third 50 in the series, lost his concentration and stepped out to Karthik only to be stumped promptly by Dravid.
Younis Khan, on eight, survived a confident appeal off Karthik. The Indians were confident that the ball, off a sweep, did bounce off the batting gloves and pads on its way to Dravid's gloves, but not Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf.
By the 30th over Pakistan were 131 for three and Inzamam reached his 50 off 63 balls that included four boundaries.
Inzamam was severe on Yuvraj by lifting him over long on for a six before belting two more boundaries in the same over.
At the other end, Younis Khan played the supporting role to perfection by giving as much strike as possible to Inzamam.
Karthik struck again when Younis Khan swept uppishly to Pathan at deep square leg after the pair had put on just over a 100-run partnership.
But Inzamam maintained the run flow by lifting Tendulkar over long on. He completed his 100 (108b, 7x4, 3x6) and cover drove Balaji in the next over.
Tragedy struck Pakistan when Balaji bowled Inzamam for 123.
Razzaq hit a quickfire 32 before being brilliantly caught by Kaif at long on.
Mohammed Kaif played a crucial supporting role in guiding India home after coming in at a critical stage. Picture: AP |
Laxman had a lucky escape when Shabbir had him caught off a no-ball even without opening his account. He celebrated that life by hitting four boundaries in his brief knock.
Skipper Sourav Ganguly began with a flourish even as Sami had a dangerous-looking Sehwag at the other end.
Three down for 75 in 10 overs, the mantle of lifting the team out of trouble fell on Dravid and Ganguly. But Ganguly fell after edging Razzaq to Moin Khan for 21.
Undaunted by the situation, Yuvraj began to stroke beautifully and maintained the run-feast before Sami pulled Pakistan back into the game. Yuvraj's pull was brilliantly caught at short mid-wicket by Youhana after the left-hander had made 36.
The balance tilted in favour of Pakistan till Dravid and Kaif combine took India to victory.
Scoreboard
Pakistan
Y.Hameed st Dravid b Kartik 45
S.Afridi c Yuvraj b Pathan 3
Y.Youhana lbw b Pathan 9
Inzamam b Balaji 123
Y.Khan c Pathan b Kartik 36
Abdur Razzaq c Kaif b Tendulkar 32
M.Khan b Balaji 0
S.Malik c Kaif b Zaheer 13
S.Akhtar b Zaheer 2
M.Sami not out 0
S.Ahmed not out 0
Extras (b-10 lb-9 nb-5 w-6) 30
Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 293
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-39, 3-89, 4-194, 5-264, 6-264, 7-283, 8-290, 9-292.
Bowling: Pathan 10-1-53-2 (nb-1 w-3), Balaji 10-0-64-2, Zaheer Khan 10-0-43-2 (nb-2 w-1), Kartik 10-1-48-2 (nb-2), Tendulkar 8-0-48-1 (w-2), Y.Singh 2-0-18-0.
India
V.Sehwag c Younis b Sami 26
S.Tendulkar c Moin b Shoaib 7
V.Laxman b Shoaib 20
S.Ganguly c Moin b Abdur Razzaq 21
R.Dravid not out 76
Y.Singh c Youhana b Sami 36
M.Kaif not out 71
Extras (lb-9 nb-9 w-19) 37
Total (for five wickets, 45 overs) 294
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-69, 3-75, 4-94, 5-162.
Did not bat: M.Kartik, I.Pathan, L.Balaji, Z.Khan
Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 9-1-63-2 (w-14), Shabbir Ahmed 7-0-62-0 (nb-5 w-1), Mohammed Sami 10-0-50-2 (w-3), Abdul Razzaq 7-0-42-1 (nb-3), Shoaib Malik 7-0-38-0, Shahid Afridi 5-0-30-0 (nb-1 w-1).
Man of the match: Inzamam-ul-Haq.
