India Thrashed Pakistan

India's vice captain ViratKohli smashed a career-best 183 to power India virtually into the finals of the Asia Cup as he led the chase of a enormous 330-run target to beat archrivals Pakistan by six wickets on Sunday.

Sachin Tendulkar  and Rohit Sharma were the other chief contributors of this must-win game that took India to second place in the points table, behind Pakistan

For Pakistan, their opening pair of Mohammad Hafeez  and Nasir Jamshed  hit stroke-filled centuries in a 224-run stand that propelled Pakistan to the huge total. However, India pulled things back in the last 10 overs to instil hopes of victory.

India's run-chase began with a stumble when opener Gautam Gambhir was dismissed lbw by Mohammad Hafeez off the second ball of the innings. However, a 133-run partnership between Tendulkar and Kohli nullified the early advantage Pakistan had got.

Tendulkar was ejected by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, but incoming batsman Rohit proved to be the ideal foil for Kohli, who has been in the form of his life. During this knock, Kohli became the second-quickest to 3500 ODI runs, only behind West Indian legend Vivian Richards. His 148-ball 183 included 22 fours and one six.

Rohit was a bit slow to get off the blocks, but once in, he made it count by rotating the strike and hitting a boundary every now and then. Kohli and Rohit both fell in the space of 13 runs after a 172-run partnership, which by then had put India in cruise mode with the score already past 300.

Raina and Kohli then performed the last rites to complete a facile win.

Jamshed's 112 came off just 104 balls, including 10 fours and one six.

Pakistan lost their other opener, Hafeez, four balls later, which lifted the Indian spirits. Hafeez's 105 runs came off 113 balls, studded with 9 fours and one six. Akmal and Younis Khan then stitched together a 48-run partnership but Pakistan lost Akmal for 28 at the score of 273 in the 43rd over. He was dismissed by Praveen Kumar.

Afridi tried to get his eye in but his 15-ball stay was ended by Irfan Pathan. He contributed just 9 but was involved in a 40-run stand with Younis, during which Pakistan crossed the 300-run mark.

Pakistan, who scored 73 runs and lost four wickets in the last 10 overs, lost the momentum in the end but Younis's 34-ball 52 ensured Pakistan reach 329 for 6 in the end. Praveen sent him back off a one-handed stunner by Raina in the covers. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq remained not out on four, while allrounder Hammad Azam scored 4.

Ashok Dinda finished with figures of 2 for 47 in 8 overs, while Praveen was the most expensive of the lot at 2 for 77. Irfan was hammered for 69 runs in his 10 overs and returned with a lonely wicket.

Asia Cup

India’s Victory over Sri Lanka with 50 runs proved that India is in form again .In its first match

Of Asia Cup, Irfan Pathan led the Indian attack with a four wicket pull.India put forward the score

Of 304 before Sri Lanka.Losing 4 wickets for 31 runs in the batting powerplay proved decisive

In the end as they reached 196 for 3 in 35 overs.Ashwin and Vinay took two wickets each and decreased

Lankans to 227 for 7 in 40 overs.Pathan returned in the last over to complete his 4 for 32 with the last

Sri Lankan wicket of Seekkuge Prasanna.

Earlier, India's twin centurions Virat Kohli  and Gautam Gambhir put up a 205-run stand for the second wicket to set India up for a big total. On the way to his century, Kohli became the fastest man to reach 10 ODI centuries, reaching the landmark in his 83rd match.

MS Dhoni  and Suresh Raina then stricken the Lankan attack for 78 runs in the final 7.1 overs to cross the 300-run mark with a six from Raina off the last ball of the 50th over.

SachinTendulkar fell early after Sri Lanka put India in to bat. Thereafter, it was a Kohli-Gambhir show as they stole the fame by bringing up the 10th ODI centuries of their respective careers.

The Sri Lankan bowlers had no answers for Kohli who scored his second consecutive century in Mirpur after punishing the Bangladeshis in the World Cup opener last year. He and Gambhir fell soon after reaching the landmark but Dhoni and Raina ensured boundaries came thick and fast in the last seven overs to take India's total to 304 for 3.

The Lankans  lost Tillakaratne Dilshan  early in their chase but Jayawardene played a captain's knock of 78 in just 59 balls, which included 10 fours and two sixes. After Dilshan was sent back by Pathan, Jayawardene joined hands with KumarSangakkara for a 93-run second-wicket partnership in a 14-over period . The Sri Lankans joyously moved to 124 for 1 in just the 19th over when Jayawardene's downfall. At 152 for 3, Sangakkara found an supporter in Lahiru Thirimanne and the duo started bringing the chase back on track by exploiting the Indian spinners. However, Ashwin sent Sangakkara  and Thirimanne  back in the first over of the powerplay, while Vinay took care of Nuwan Kulasekara  and Chamara Kapugedara  in the fourth. Maharoof tried to be a bit adventurous; however, it proved to be vain in the end.

ASIA CUP

Pakistan pulled off a 21 run victory over a vigorous Bangladesh in the exhilarating opening

Match of Asia Cup on Sunday. Pakistan Team set forth the score of 263 before Bangladesh .

Hoewever,the hosts lacked the batting power in the end and got all out for 241 in 48.1 over only.

On the other hand the hosts gave a good account of themselves and also proved that they cannot

Be taken lightly in the tournament.Shakib and Nasir were going great arms together as the team.
Umar Gul broke the partnership by bowling Nasir in the 44th over.Shakib was the last man out

Pakistan scored 262 for eight after Mohammed Hafeez top-scored with a patient 89 and shared a 135-run stand with fellow opener Nasir Jamshed. Apart from Hafeez and Jamshed's brilliant batting it was Gul's strokeful unbeaten 39 towards the end that lifted Pakistan to a respectable total.

ShahdatHossain and Shakib Al Hasan  shared five wickets between them to help Bangladesh restrict Pakistani players, who were scoring briskly till the 30 overs.

Pakistan rode on spin trio of Hafeez ,Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi's brilliant bowling to open their campaign with a win.

Bangladesh's chase was guided by opener Tamim Iqbal's crafty 64 but the hosts could not make the best use of his innings. Iqbal along with opener Nazimuddin  and Jahurul Islam  shared two 45-run stands each for the first and second wickets.

Hafeez struck twice in two balls in the 29th over as he bowled Iqbal in the third ball and trapped Mahmudullah in the next to reduce Bangaldesh to 135 for five.

Shakib then joined hands with Nasir to take the fight to Pakistan. They made good use of third powerplay to set the tone for a close finish.

Earlier, Hafeez and Jamshed had laid the foundation by putting on 135 runs for the first wicket in just 28 overs but Shahdat Hossain (3/53) and Shakib Al Hasan (2/41) struck at crucial moments to help the hosts fight back into the match.

But Gul, somewhat, spoilt Bangladesh's plans with a brisk 39 off 25 balls.

Hoping that the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium would offer some assistance to his seamers early on, Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim elected to field after the coin landed in his favour.

Jamshed was the more aggressive of the two as he found the fence five times, besides hitting a six. Hafeez was content to rotate the strike while hitting the occasional boundaries.

Bangladesh then made a spirited fightback and the breakthrough they needed, came in the form of Jamshed's wicket in the 28th over, when Mushfiqur ran the batsman out after receiving a throw from Shakib. Living up to the tag of being an unpredictable side, Pakistan suffered a collapse and, from 160 for two in the 33rd over, they were struggling at 198 for seven.