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Key occasions
WICKET! Imam-ul-Haq run out (Axar) 10 (Pakistan 47-2)
Oh expensive. Imam hits the ball straight to Axar at mid-on and units off for a single which may have been on had there been a bean bag fielding at mid on. Sadly for the diving Iman, it was Axar Patel, who has time to eye up the stumps earlier than throwing them down
ninth over: Pakistan 47-0 ( Imam ul Haq 10, Saud 2) Babar eyes up Hardik’s first ball, which is gradual and full and eans into a canopy drive for the ages. However Hardik strikes again instantly, celebrating with the speaking hand. Saud Shakeel’s first ball is deflected down previous Rahul – given as 4 leg byes.
WICKET! Babar c Rahul b Hardik 23 (Pakistan 41-1)
Hardik drags one again and Babar tries to ship it shimmying via the covers once more, however can solely edge it to Rahul. 5 fours in that 23 of accelerating assurance – however Pakistan wanted him to go on.
eighth over: Pakistan 37-0 ( Imam ul Haq 10, Babar Azam 19) Time for Axar Patel, all lengthy levers and big shades. He twirls the ball from big hand to massive hand – replays from th sport towards Bangladesh present him difficult each edges of the bat. However right here goes Babar, dancing, and lofting him over mid-off for 4.
seventh over: Pakistan 31-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 14) Hardik replaces Shami, the five-wicket hero towards Bangladesh, and who stays off the sector. He’s as slim as a bamboo, diamond earrings in every lobe. Babar glances over his shoulders, after which drives an providing exterior off stump via the covers for 4.
sixth over: Pakistan 26-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 10) Imam is turned inside out by Harshit many times, toes rooted to the crease. Annoyed, he flies on the fourth ball however misses, flies once more on the sixth however can solely get an inside edge. Only one run – a large – from the over.
Shami hobbles off
fifth over: Pakistan 25-0 ( Imam ul Haq 9, Babar Azam 10) Imam is tempted, nibbling at Shami because the ball shimmies previous the skin edge. One other magnificence from Shami has the slips applauding – however right here is the physio, massaging Shami’s proper calf. He finishes the over however leaves the sector, which could possibly be large information.
We see a clip from the gamers strolling onto the pitch in the beginning of the match, Virat provides Babar an affectionate pat on the again. Good to see.
4th over: Pakistan 22-0 ( Imam ul Haq 6, Babar Azam 10) Come on Babar don’t get marooned – and right here he goes, whipping Harshit for 4 from exterior off stump, after which a wonderful stride and drive via the covers for 4 extra. It took Pakistan ten overs to get to 22 towards New Zealand – right here they make it after 4.
third over: Pakistan 14-0 ( Imam ul Haq 6, Babar Azam 2) Shami once more, and this time with extra management. Imam, glasses gleaming below his helmet, performs and misses on the darting ball however collects a handful of runs both aspect of the cricket.
2nd over: Pakistan 10-0 ( Imam ul Haq 2, Babar Azam 2) Harshit Rana on the different finish, practitioner of a wonderful heavy ball. Pakistan take a fast single from his first – not totally convincingly. Harshit joins within the extensive celebration with one down the legside because the scent of brewing espresso wafts in from the kitchen. Babar picks up a wristy couple off his hips.
1st over: Pakistan 6-0 ( Imam ul Haq 1, Babar Azam 0) The pitch seems to be like rolled oatmeal. Mohammad Shami has the ball, twists and turns on the prime of his mark, the primary ball is on the cash, the second is extensive and effectively stopped by the diving Rahul. One other extensive, after which a 3rd, a fourth, a FIFTH – that is all very useful for Pakistan who had a dismally gradual begin towards New Zealand, with a lot of home stress piling on the slim shoulders of Babar.
The bottom doesn’t look full – but – however the dominant shirt color is unquestionably blue.
The anthems
Go off with out incident. Cute kids in white T-shirts look completely thrilled to be mascots. India huddle, and Babar and Imam stroll out.
“Morning Tanya.” Good morning Krishnamoorthy v!
“That is cricket classico!
“I grew up within the 80s and the 90s to see Pakistan frequently beating India with the unplayable Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir and batsmen who appeared to have been caught to the pitch with an adhesive. Miandad , Abbbas, Raza.
“Then the tables turned and have stayed turned. Lately it’s thought-about an upset if Pakistan wins however the match is seen, sadly, as a conflict between the 2 nations due to irresponsible conduct and politicians being politicians on either side. The loss of life of India Pakistan conflict seen merely as a cricket match shall stay my biggest disappointment in life.”
The commentators chew over the circumstances. A gradual pitch, those that have completed effectively are those that rotate the strike. A great rating? 250 a naked minimal.
“Is there area behind the couch?” asks Michael White. In fact, although give me a few minutes warning for a fast hoover.
Indian XI
India: Rohit Sharma, (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami
An unchanged aspect.
Pakistan XI
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (capt and wkt), Tayyab tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Imam-ul-Haq replaces Fakhar Zaman, who picked up an indirect harm towards New Zealand.
Rizwan: It seems to be like a great floor. If you happen to play an ICC occasion, each sport is vital. The boys are acquainted with the circumstances and we’ve completed effectively on this floor as effectively. We misplaced the final sport however it’s up to now for us. One change: Imam in for Fakhar.
Rohit: It’s not the identical floor however seems to be just like what we performed on, within the final sport. It may get slower. Nice alternative to return out and do what we do as a crew. The best way we performed the final sport…it wasn’t straightforward for us and we needed to work our approach. You need to check your self and be below stress. We’re taking part in the identical crew.
Pakistan win the toss and can bat
They look ahead to Ravi Shastri to complete his boxing-match exuberances. Rohit Sharma, all in royal blue, has his hand in his pocket; Mohammad Rizwan, in a lime inexperienced prime, darkish inexperienced trousers, tucks his palms behind his again. Rizwan calls heads – and heads it’s!
A fast look again eight years to the 2017 Champions Trophy Ultimate at The Oval, when Pakistan turned the tables the wrong way up and beat India within the closing, due to a wonderful century from Fakhar Zaman and an exciting opening spell by Mohammad Amir.
The toss can be in about ten minutes, the day sizzling, sizzling, sizzling – 33 levels at simply after midday. The 1pm begin means there received’t be any dew for the calling captains to think about.
Preamble
Hiya! What higher cause to roll off the bed on a Sunday morning than for India v Pakistan, cousin v cousin, grudge v gripe, cricket con passione.
We’re in Dubai in the present day, as a result of Indian authorities/BCCI’s refusal to play in Pakistan, and the match is a promote out. The truth is it was a promote out inside minutes of the tickets going public – anticipate a uneven sea of blue and inexperienced shirts, alongside the cacophony of noise,
The final time the 2 nations met in an ICC 50-over sport was at Ahmedabad throughout the 2023 World Cup, India knocking off a simple win by seven wickets within the thirty first over.
They’re large favourites in the present day too, and are available into the sport having overwhelmed Bangaldesh on Thursday, thanks largely to a century from Shubman Gill and 5 wickets from Mohammad Shami. Pakistan, in the meantime, crashed and burned towards New Zealand, dropping by 60 runs, and face being knocked out early from the primary ICC occasion they’ve hosted in 29 years.
However neglect the stats deep-dive for now. That is Pakistan. That is Pakistan v India. Something is feasible.
Play begins at 9am GMT, and there’s loads of area on the OBO couch.
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