Story Sharjah Cup FINAL - India VS Pakistan

[ashu2411]

Good morning and welcome everyone to the third league match of Sharjah Cup between Australia and Pakistan. I am Rameez Raza and Michael Slater is joining me in commentary Box. Its going to be great exhibition of cricket by both teams and pitch is going to play a major part in it. So first go to Sanjay Manjeraker for pitch report.

Hello everyone, its a lovely day here and a clear sunshine with no trace of cloud. Its a bit warm today but temperature will fell down as the night approach. The pitch looks very dusty and full of runs. Any team winning toss will love to bat first and try to score more then 270. But any score will be chaseable on this pitch. So far this pitch has played strangely with lots of help to spinners and teams have struggled to score runs which was evident from last two low scoring matches. Thats all from me and now back to Rameez.

 

[ashu2411]

Now lets go to the ground where two captains are waiting for the toss.

Ponting made the call Heads and it is Heads. Australia have won the toss and without any doubt they went to bat first.

Ponting:

This is a good batting pitch and we will want to use it first and build a good total on board. We will be happy with the score of 280 runs.

Inzamam:

It was a bad toss to lose. We certainly wanted to bat first on this pitch. But now, we have to bowl well and stop Australia from building a big total.

 

[ashu2411]

Here are the two lineups

 

[ashu2411]

So the players are coming to the ground. Australian openers are Gillchrist and Jacques and Shoaib Akhtar will start the bowling for Pakistan.

 

[ashu2411]

Umpires signalling for the start of match and here comes Akhtar for the first ball of the match.

Gillchrist and Jacques provided Australia a good start by playing some attacking shots early on. Both looked in nice touch and smashed the ball for some beautiful boundaries. Shoaib Akhtar bowled well with good pace and line and beat both the batsmen a number of times. But he failed to provide any breakthrough. Sami was wayward and got a good hammering from both the Aussie openers.

So Australia getting a very good start in first half hour of the match as they raced to 35 for no loss in 7 overs with both batsmen on 16 runs each.

 

[Bala]

Good start by Australia. Hope Gilly gets a big one here! Go Aussie Go!

 

[ramesh1986]

superb win for India.

 

[brettLee]

Aussie have to win this

 

[ashu2411]

Sami provided the first breakthrough as Captain Inzy took a great catch in slips. Gilchrist once gain failed to score much after a good start as he goes for 22 and Australia is 46/1. Captain Ricky Ponting comes in as new batsmen.

 

[Cricketman]

Crud!

 

[ramesh1986]

gillchrist gone. Pak is on top.

 

[Cricketman]

Sami provided the first breakthrough as Captain Inzy took a great catch in slips. Gilchrist once gain failed to score much after a good start as he goes for 22 and Australia is 46/1. Captain Ricky Ponting comes in as new batsmen.

I don't think we'll ever see "aloo" dive like that in a real match....

btw aloo means potatoe and many indian/pakistani's have nicknamed him that because his fat like a potato :happy

 

[ashu2411]

no buddy I have seen Inzy dive like this in real matches also while taking a slip catch. He is a really good slip fielder.

 

[ashu2411]

Ponting now joins Jacques on the crease. Jacques has looked to continue his great form and has played some superb shots all over the ground.

Just when Jacques looked for a big one, Sami strucked again for pakistan. Jacques tried to hit the ball over mid-wicket but ended up giving an easy catch to S Akhtar. Jacques gone after making good 24 and Sami got his second wicket of the match. Australia is now 59/2 in 12 overs and katich joins him on other end.

 

[Bala]

This can go either way!