India vs Pakistan One Day Teams & News
India lose by 159 runs, Pakistan win series 4-2
Inzamam links splendid victory to team best performance
April 17 2005
It was an impressive show of skills in all three departments that led Pakistan to the victory to clinch six match ODI series 4-2 with the biggest margin of victory of 159 runs against the Indian cricket team in the cricketing history of both nations.
After winning the toss Pakistani captain Inzamam ul Haq had no hesitation in electing to bat first, as Feroz Shah Kotla wicket according to experts was good for batting first. Salman Butt and Shahid Khan Afridi opened the innings. Afridi launched his attack on Ashish Nehra by hitting him for three boundaries and a massive six in the second over. Some poor decisions helped India restrict Pakistan total.
Shoaib Malik (
In Picture) top-scored with 72, his third half-century in four matches was named man of the match for his impressive knock containing eight fours.
Indian batting on an under prepared wicket had a daunting task ahead, Virinder Sehwag despite getting a chance in the first over when he was caught by Shoaib Malik in the covers of a no ball by Rana Naveed ul Hassan was unable to cash in the chance. Rana had the last laugh as he got
Virender Sehwag caught in the first slip by acting captain Younis Khan on 21. As soon as Sehwag's wicket fell, it was clear by the body language of his team mates that there will be no fight at least on Sunday. Mahindra Dhoni was the only exception, and he was the top scorer of the Indian batting line up with 24.
After Kaif's wicket fell, the play stopped for a short while when the Indian crowd hurled bottles on Pakistani fielders standing at the boundary line after looking at the writing on the wall of clear Indian defeat.
Play resumed after a short break, and when Ashish Nehra's wicket fell, Pakistan team recorded their first one day series win under the new coach Bob Woolmer in over a year. Shoaib Malik was named man of the match and Rana Naveed the pick of the Pakistani bowlers was named man of the series for bagging fifteen wickets with an average of 16 per piece.
Inzamam ul Haq who had to remain in the dressing room for the entire second half due to a back spasm lifted the Pepsi Cup with a huge smile on his face, as he and the men in green made the nation proud. While Pakistani fans waited till the last of the ceremonies was over, the Indian audience took their cue earlier, what with their teams poor show. Waving flags and banners, the Pakistanis meanwhile, had just begun celebrating.
Addressing a crowded press conference after securing victory against its rival India, Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq while lauding players performance said that each player played vital role in clinching victory in the ODI series.
Referring to Pak-India series, he noted that both neighbours series had great importance regionally and globally, which had attracted million of spectators.
Flaunting caps, T-shirts and even kurtas bearing their national flag, the Pakistani visitors stepping out of Feroze Shah Kotla stadium were headed straight for Delhis delights. On the agenda for most, was a binge at restaurant with Indian friends in tow, besides visiting popular tourist sites like India Gate and Qutub Minar, shopping for family back home and hitting the dance floor at happening clubs in the Capital.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Team will return to Lahore from New Delhi via the Pakistan International Air (PIA)'s flight on Monday 5:00 pm.
The team would be accorded with warm welcome by the PCB authorities and huge number of cricket fans at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Ganguly banned! Dravid captain; Kumble, Sriram back in Indian side
April 12 2005
The BCCI Joint Secretary Goutam Dasgupta announced a 15-member squad for the remaining two matches of the series against Pakistan, which is tantalisingly poised at 2-2.
Rahul Dravid was today made the Indian captain for the last two one-dayers in the series after
Sourav Ganguly was slapped a six-match ban for slow over-rate in the fourth one-dayer against Pakistan.
Veteran leg spinner
Anil Kumble who missed the first two one-dayers due to injury and was not considered for selection for the next two matches was brought into the side in place of paceman Irfan Pathan. Pathan, who had a poor Test series and was struggling to find form, had been omitted from the squad. Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly's place in the side has gone to Tamil Nadu batsman
Sridharan Sriram.
Swashbuckling opener
Virender Sehwag was made Vice Captain of the Indian side.
Indian Team for the last two matches: Rahul Dravid (captain),
Sachin Tendulkar ,
Virender Sehwag , M S Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, S Sriram, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Ashish Nehra, L Balaji, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar.
Pakistan to go for the Kill
March 31, 2005
Rejuvenated Pakistan under the captaincy of Inzamam-ul-Haq will be looking for an inspiring series victory in the One-day Internationals starting with the Cochin edition against a desperate India headed by Sourav Ganguly whose leadership is under fire following defeat to Pakistan in Bangalore Test last week.
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said, "Pakistan may have drawn the Test series with exceptional cricket, but the one-dayers are a different ball game and we are confident of doing well. We have happy memories of this ground after beating Australia and South Africa here in the past." On his captaincy, Sourav said, "That (captaincy) is for the selectors to decide. I have been around (as captain) for quite a long time. I have nothing to prove to anybody."
The
Pakistan captain Inzamam Ul-Haq said his team was high on morale after the brilliant Test victory in Bangalore, but warned them against complacency. "We cannot carry our win in Bangalore to Cochin. It is a new game and we (have to) start from the beginning,' said he.
The Indian selectors have slashed spinner Anil Kumble, middle order batsman V.Laxman, opener Gambhir and wicket keeper Dinesh Karthic from the team for Yuvaraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Ashish Nehra and Mahender Dhoni. The batting strength of India is supposed to be the best in the world after Australia. They have qualities to face any kind of bowler for runs. The bowling power is also praiseworthy, consisting of Irfan Pathan, L.Balaji, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Murali Kartik. To the contrary, Pakistan are comparatively a weak side in all the three faculties of the game. The Pakistani batsmen often lose concentration on the pitch; the bowlers fail to keep the line and length of the ball and the fielders miss the easy catches even. The most trusted batsman is Izamam-ul-Haq. Others may or may not make runs. None of the bowlers is fearsome as were Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
Anil Kumble omitted from Indian team for one-dayers
March 28, 2005
Leg-spinner Anil Kumble has been omitted from the 14-player squad named by India on Tuesday for the first two games of their one-day international series against Pakistan starting on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Kumble claimed 17 wickets in the three-test series including a face saving 37* in the last innings when the frontline batsmen fell like nine-pins. The series ended in a 1-1 draw on Monday following Pakistan's 168-run victory in the final test in Bangalore.
Batsman Vangipurappu Laxman, wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik and opening batsman Gautam Gambhir were the other test squad members to be left out.
India: Saurav Ganguly (capt),
Virender Sehwag ,
Sachin Tendulkar ,
Rahul Dravid , Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Murali Kartik, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Ashish Nehra, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Zaheer Khan.
Pakistan make three changes for India one-dayers
March 24, 2005
Pakistani selectors left out Shoaib Akhtar and made three changes to the squad currently in India.
Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Nazir, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan and Shoaib Malik.