India has never lost to Pakistan in a World Cup or World Twenty20
Top Scorer Virat Kohli, Man of the Match
ICC World Twenty20 Group 2, Kolkata:
Pakistan 118-5 (18 overs): Malik 26 (16)
India 119-4 (15.5 off): 55 * Kohli (37)
Welcomes India revived their hopes World Twenty20 after
beating fierce rivals Pakistan by six wickets in Kolkata.
In a hard surface in a rain-affected match of 18 overs per
side, Virat Kohli of India unbeaten 55 took its target of 119 in 15.5 overs.
Pakistan scraping 28 of his first six scales, but were swept
by Shoaib Malik to 118-5 (26) and Umar Akmal (22).
India Pakistan has played in 10 games in T20 World Cups and
world without being defeated.
The pre-tournament favorites, who lost their first match of
New Zealand, can still reach the semifinals if they beat Australia and
Bangladesh.
Pakistan is also still in the search for a last-four place,
but face the toughest test against the Aussies and unbeaten Kiwis.
This was the most anticipated match of the competition
between two great rivals who rarely meet outside international tournaments due
to political tensions.
In fact, the contest was moved from the city of Himalaya
Dharamsala to Kolkata for security reasons, only Pakistan agreeing to
participate in the tournament on March 11 after receiving assurances from the
Indian government.
More than 60,000 fans packed into Eden Gardens, with
crowds lining up outside well after the game started, while some estimates put
the global television audience of one billion.
However, the contest itself was not particularly memorable,
with the window batting making it difficult for all but the bright Kohli.
The match was dominated by the surface on which it was
played, with the amount of assistance offered to players of slow bowling,
batting sometimes make it impossible.
Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja Ravi in
particular, found sharp, spitting in turn, often leaving batters at some
distance from making contact with the ball.
For its part, Pakistan mis-read the conditions omitting the
left arm spinner Imad Mohammad Wasim for Sami, who at least justify his selection
by Shikhar Dhawan both bowling and Suresh Raina in successive deliveries.
It was a pitch that divided opinion, and some believe that
T20 cricket should be about scoring runs, while others found it refreshing
bowling players that gave them the advantage.
Kohli classy
After fighting Ashwin and Jadeja, Pakistan were only brought
to a competitive total and Akmal Malik, who finally found regular boundaries
against players of pace bowling in the later innings.
Pakistan's hopes rose even more when Sami found to have
extra-rebound Dhawan and Raine play their stumps almost identical.
Kohli remained, however, and took the sting out of the situation in a stand of 61 with Yuvraj Singh.
The right-hander played some refer to converters excellent
guides and behind the point, leaning against former batsman Sachin Tendulkar of
India, who was in the crowd, when he passed 50.
On the plus side, MS Dhoni hit the winning runs, and Kohli, Man of the Match celebrates more adulation of Tendulkar.
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