India have wrapped the game in fine fashion here. They had done most of the damage with the bat itself when they posted a par score on the board. The bowlers backed the good work. Azhar Ali was the lone man fighting for them with a fifty but he did not get any help from the rest as they kept losing wickets at intervals.
WICKET! Umesh Yadav to Hasan Ali, OUT! 3-fer for Umesh Yadav!
WICKET! Umesh Yadav to Mohammad Amir, OUT! Soft dismissal! On a length around leg, angling away, Amir backs away a touch and looks to jab it over covers but gets it off the higher part of the bat. And the ball goes straight to Jadhav at short cover, who doesn't make a mistake this time.
WICKET! Hardik Pandya to Sarfraz Ahmed, OUT! Angles in a good length delivery just outside off, Sarfraz looks to dab to third man but only manages to get an outside edge which is snaffled by the keeper. The writing is on the wall now.
WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja to Mohammad Hafeez, OUT! Hafeez holes out! Arm ball, sliding in, Hafeez gets down on one knee and looks to slog sweep but he too gets a top edge. The ball travels towards deep mid-wicket. Bhuvneshwar in the deep, runs to his left and this time completes the catch. Pakistan have half of their side back in the hut. Jadeja is on fire right now. He was involved in last 4 wickets.
Pakistan: 123/4 (Hafeez 0, Sarfraz 6)
Overs: 8
WICKET! Umesh Yadav to Shoaib Malik, OUT! Bull's eye from Jadeja! Don't ever mess with his throwing arm and especially in that region. Length delivery outside off, Malik stays back, dabs it behind point and takes off for a quick single. Hafeez sends him back. Jadeja at backward point, rushes to the ball, picks it and has a throw at the keeper's end in a flash. Hits the bottom of the off stump and catches Malik short by miles. This something really, really special from the Indian all-rounder. Big blow for Pakistan and they are now in huge trouble.
SIX! Ravindra Jadeja to Shoaib Malik, Into the stands! Malik dances down the track. Jadeja sees that and drags his length back. Malik is not near the pitch of the ball but still goes through with his lofted shot. Connects it well and the ball sails over ropes for a maximum!
FOUR! Ravindra Jadeja to Mohammad Hafeez, FOUR! dancing shoes are on! Fired in full outside off, Hafeez gets to the pitch of the ball and goes inside out over extra cover. Beats the long on fielder and the ball crosses the ropes. Hafeez getting a move on now!
Malik hits back to back boundaries. That'll get the chase going.
FOUR! Hardik Pandya to Shoaib Malik, Fine this time! Pandya gets his line wrong, angles it down the leg side. Malik just help it on its way and Yadav in the deep can't stop it from reaching the fine leg fence. So, back-to-back boundaries for Pakistan!
FOUR! Hardik Pandya to Shoaib Malik, Nice shot to get off the mark! It's full outside off, Malik extends his arms and drives it square of the wicket on the off side for a boundary.
WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja to Azhar Ali, OUT! Jadeja gets his man! Soon after reaching his half century, Ali departs. Jadeja bowls a flatter arm ball. Ali gets down on one knee and looks to slog sweep but gets a top edge. The ball flies over backward square leg. Hardik Pandya at deep square leg, runs to his right and pouches it with ease near the ropes. The set man departs and the Indians are joyous.
10th ODI fifty for Azhar Ali.
Ravindra Jadeja to Azhar Ali, Ali raises his bat! Shorter in length, punched towards long on for a single. With that, he completes a fifty. It has been a good knock from him so far. Now, he has to build on it.
Pakistan: 61/2 (Azhar 37, Hafeez 0)
Overs: 8
WICKET! Umesh Yadav to Babar Azam, OUT! Umesh strikes! Short again, just outside off, Azam looks to cut it hard again but finds Jadeja at backward point. A very good catch that, given the fielding standards so far in the game. Pakistan would have hoped for more from there talented batsman.
WICKET! Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ahmed Shehzad, OUT! First strike for India! Angles it on a good length, Shehzad looks to clip but is hit on his pads. The players go up in an appeal and the umpire rules it in favour of the bowler. Shehzad comes over to have a chat with his partner but they decide against the review. Was it outside the line or going over the stumps? Let's wait for the Ball Tracker.
Pakistan: 38/0 (Azhar 24, Shehzad 11)
Overs: 8
FOUR! Jasprit Bumrah to Azhar Ali, Up and over! Fuller and outside off, Ali gets under it and launches it over the mid on fielder for a boundary.
4 bowlers can bowl 8 overs, 1 bowler can bowl 9 overs. Powerplay 1 (1-8), Powerplay 2 (9-33), Powerplay 3 (34-41). That is for the updated playing conditions. The players are back out in the middle. Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad to continue batting. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to complete his over.
Update 1645 local time - The rain has stopped. The covers are coming off. Play to resume at 1655 local time. The target for Pakistan is 289 in 41 overs. So, 267 runs needed from 36.1 overs. We have lost seven overs for the break.
Pakistan: 22/0 (Azhar 12, Shehzad 7)
Overs: 4.5
A familiar visitor arrives again,
RAIN STOPS play for the third time
FOUR! Umesh Yadav to Azhar Ali, Powered away! Shorter in length on the stumps, Ali hooks it down to the square leg fence. This is a sedate start for Pakistan.
FOUR! Umesh Yadav to Ahmed Shehzad, Flashed! Shorter outside off, Shehzad goes after the width and gets it past point for a boundary.
The rain breaks did not help India as it came at intervals to stall their momentum. The two Indian openers set the platform for them with a 136-run stand. Both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma missed out on their tons. Virat Kohli anchored the innings and it was his 93-run stand with Yuvraj that gave India the par score that they have.
DLS method increases India's total to 323/3. Pakistan now have to chase down 324 in 48 overs.
Magnificent finish from India. The Pakistan fielders walking off with their heads down shows how badly they lost the plot towards the end. India plundered 77 runs in the last five overs to finish with a par score on the board. Expect DLS to increase the target for Pakistan too as India did not lose too many wickets.
India finish with 319 for 3 at the end of 48 overs
SIX! Imad Wasim to Hardik Pandya, Hat-trick of maximums! Pandya expecting the ball to slide in, gets across and slogs it over mid-wicket for a biggie. Pandya is on fire. Can he make it six in six?
SIX! Imad Wasim to Hardik Pandya, Another one! Once again Wasim fires it full outside off and Pandya smashes it over long off for another half a dozen. Can he keep it going?
SIX! Imad Wasim to Hardik Pandya, Pandya power! Full outside off, Pandya bends his back knee and tonks it over long off for a maximum. That was a clean hit!
SIX! Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, That's some shot! Full outside off and Kohli lofts it over extra cover for a biggie. That was struck beautifully. Kohli has got back in his elements now.
FOUR! Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Creamed! Very full around off, Kohli just creams it over extra cover for a boundary.
SIX! Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Kohli is delighted! That came off the meat. Cutter delivery on the shorter side. Kohli goes back and pulls it over long on for a maximum. Gets to his fifty and pumps his fist to remove all his frustration.
Yuvraj Singh walks out at No. 4.
WICKET! Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, OUT! Run out! Rohit failed to ground his bat there. Kohli stays back and with soft hands defends square of the wicket on the off side. Sharma takes off from the other end for a quick risky single. Azam from point, gets to the ball and throws it quickly to his keeper, who whips off the bails. Rohit Sharma puts in a desperate dive but his bat seems to be in air. The umpire goes upstairs and the replay shows that as Rohit dived, his bat was in the air. This is a big wicket for Pakistan.
13 runs off the Wahab Riaz over. Is it the beginning of the death overs?
SIX! Wahab Riaz to Rohit Sharma, Hammered! Riaz goes short this time. Rohit latches onto it in a flash as though he expected it and pulls it over square leg for a maximum. He is gaining his momentum back.
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Rohit Sharma, Class! Length delivery outside off, Rohit stands tall and drives it on the up through the gap between mid off and covers for a boundary. Superb shot!
India: 174/1 (Rohit 77 , Kohli 25)
Overs: 34
Update 1413 local time - And the drizzle has stopped again. The covers are being taken off. We might have just lost an over here, yup, it is a 48-OVER game now. Two bowlers can bowl 9 overs, 3 bowlers can bowl 10 overs. Powerplay 1 (1-10), Powerplay 2(11-39), Powerplay 3(40-48). Let's hope the weather does not disturb us now.
1332 local time - Oh dear, the rain has come down harder and the players are going off the field. India will not mind the break now, Rohit was not finding the middle of the bat and Pakistan had conceded just 15 runs in the last five overs. The break will do them good. But let's hope that the rain clears up soon like before and we get the game going.
RAIN ARRIVES AGAIN!
FOUR! Mohammad Amir to Virat Kohli, Up and over! Short and angling away, Kohli gets underneath it and cuts it over backward point for a boundary.
India: 162/1 (Rohit 74 , Kohli 16)
Overs: 30
WICKET! Shadab Khan to Shikhar Dhawan, OUT! Picked out the fielder! Shadab bowls it on the stumps, it a full toss, Dhawan comes down and looks to go big over mid-wicket. He though finds the fielder in the deep and that is the breakthrough for Pakistan. Dhawan departs after a good knock though.
India: 120/0 (Rohit 57 , Dhawan 59)
Overs: 21
SIX! Shadab Khan to Shikhar Dhawan, Brilliant shot! Fuller on middle, Dhawan comes down the track and just clobbers it over mid-wicket for a maximum. These two are going after the bowling now. That was the wrong one.
18th ODI fifty for Shikhar Dhawan!
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Shikhar Dhawan, BOOM! A hat trick of boundaries. Short and wide outside off, Dhawan spanks it over the point region for a boundary. The boundaries are starting to flow now for India.
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Poor line and punished! Fuller on the pads, Dhawan clips it through the fine leg region for a boundary.
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Shikhar Dhawan, Flashed! Shorter in length just outside off, Dhawan waits for it and just flashes at it. He gets it down to third man for a boundary.
That's a well made fifty for Rohit Sharma. His 30th ODI half century.
SIX! Shadab Khan to Rohit Sharma,Played Rohit! Shadab drops it short just around off, Rohit goes back and pumps it over mid-wicket for a biggie. He was out from the game for sometime but has announced his arrival in England.
India: 84/0 (Rohit 45 , Dhawan 35)
Overs: 17
Expensive over from Wahab Riaz. Indian openers mach on
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Shikhar Dhawan, Lovely shot! Short and wide outside off, Dhawan gets under it and ramps it over point for a boundary. That is a shot in confidence by Shikhar. He loves to go over the off side.
FOUR! Wahab Riaz to Rohit Sharma, Up and over! Slants it fuller and outside off, Rohit gets under it and drives it on the up over mid off for a boundary.
India: 52/0 (Rohit 29 , Dhawan 21)
Overs: 11
FOUR! Hasan Ali to Rohit Sharma, Low full toss outside off, Rohit gets under it and launches it over mid on for a boundary. He has made full use of the Free Hit. Hasan didn't get his yorker right there.
The players are back out in the middle for the game. The two Indian openers will hope to build on this start. Imad Wasim to complete his over. There is a spot on the sightscreen which is troubling Rohit. All set though now.
The rain looks to have settled. India would be disappointed with the proceedings as they were just starting to open up. Pakistan won't mind it at all. Will we have the next update in an hour's time, at 1215 local time. Stay tuned...
1110 local time - Oh dear! As expected the rains have arrived and the players are going off. There was rain forecast and it has not let itself down. Let's hope it clears up soon and we are back on the field as early as possible. Stay tuned for more updates.
RAIN STOPS PLAY!
India: 46/0 (Rohit 25 , Dhawan 20)
Overs: 9.5
It has started drizzling at Edgbaston! Not good signs these as the match was going along nicely.
FOUR! Imad Wasim to Shikhar Dhawan, Tonked! Fires it just outside off, Dhawan sits low and slog sweeps it over mid-wicket for a boundary. Could be the signs of things to come now.
FOUR! Hasan Ali to Rohit Sharma, Lovely shot! Shorter outside off, Rohit rides the bounce and gets it past the diving point fielder for a boundary. Superb shot, that.
India: 32/0 (Rohit 20 , Dhawan 11)
Overs: 8
India: 27/0 (Rohit 19 , Dhawan 7)
Overs: 7
FOUR! Mohammad Amir to Rohit Sharma, Just wide! Slants it outside off, Rohit looks to guide it square of the wicket but gets an outside edge which flies just wide of the first slip. Azhar dives to his right but cannot get a hand to it. A boundary for Rohit.
FOUR! Imad Wasim to Rohit Sharma, Poor ball and punished! Shorter outside off, Rohit stays back and punches it on the up past the diving cover fielder for a boundary.
India: 15/0 (Rohit 9 , Dhawan 5)
Overs: 5
FOUR! Mohammad Amir to Rohit Sharma, Top edged! Shorter in length and with the fine leg up, Rohit was always going to go for the pull. He is a good puller of the ball and he gets it of the top edge over short fine leg for a boundary.
A confident to push to covers, Rohit gets off the mark with a couple.
India: 3/0 (Rohit 0 , Dhawan 2)
Overs: 2
Imad Wasim to Shikhar Dhawan, Shorter outside off, Dhawan gets across and cuts it towards point. The fielder at point fumbles and allows it through him. A couple of runs taken.
Okay, a surprise move from Pakistan. Imad Wasim to bowl with the second new ball from the other end. Interesting.
India: 0/0 (Rohit 0 , Dhawan 0)
Overs: 1
Great start by Mohammad Amir, a maiden to begin with.
The atmosphere at the ground is nothing far from electric. There is a lot of drama in an India-Pakistan game always, one expects this game to breathe life into the tournament. The two Indian openers are Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. Pakistan begin with Mohammad Amir. Two slips in place for him. Here we go...
Time for the national anthems of both the countries. Always a proud moment!
The teams are out in the middle. There is a minute of silence to be observed for the people who lost their lives in the London attacks yesterday. It is often in time of a grief that we look forward to the sport to provide relief and cheer people.
Important points:
- Prediction of rain after 40 minutes
- India went in with five specialist bowlers including all-rounder Hardik Pandya with Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammad Shami missing out.
- Among the batsmen, Kedar Jadhav was picked ahead of Dinesh Karthik.
- PAK XI: Azhar Ali, A Shehzad, B Azam, M Hafeez, S Malik, S Ahmed, I Wasim, S Khan, M Amir, Wahab Riaz, H Ali
- IND XI: RG Sharma, S Dhawan, V Kohli, Y Singh, MS Dhoni, K Jadhav, H Pandya, R Jadeja, B Kumar, U Yadav, J Bumrah
- Team batting second will be under pressure.Looks like a good wicket to play throughout.We need a complete performance to win the game: Kohli
Virat Kohli on Saturday sounded happy with a problem of plenty, saying having to worry about a getting a "perfect bowling combination in place" was a "good headache" to have, ahead of the Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday.
Excerpts
On his feelings on the eve of an India-Pakistan match
Nothing different, to be honest. I know it sounds pretty boring, but this is exactly what we feel as cricketers. We're not saying anything different to what we feel. And for us it's a matter of executing what we do best, regardless of who we are playing. And I'm sure every team thinks like that. I'm sure all the other teams don't put more price on one game than on another - especially in a tournament like this where you don't have just one tough game. Every game is tough, right through to the finals. So in a tournament like this, you can't pick and choose, and in general cricketers don't pick and choose. We prepare the same way... we take the same mindset into every game that we play for India. And as I've said before, you need to be 100 per cent motivated playing for the country, regardless of who you're playing against. So yeah, the mindset does not change.
On the team composition
I think that's been on my mind in the last five, six days. Because in both the practice games all the guys have bowled beautifully and the attack looks really balanced. We've just arrived so we haven't even gotten a chance to look at the pitch. We're going to go out to the centre. We'll have a look at the wicket. There are all kinds of possibilities - two spinners, two fast bowlers; three fast bowlers, Hardik (Pandya) and a spinner. So we'll see what the wicket is like and what we feel is going to match up well against the opposition. We're feeling really confident as a team.
On his thoughts on Pakistan
As a team, I think they can surprise you because, as you said, you don't play against them so much. But you know of their abilities. You're not too aware of how they react in different situations. All you can do in that situation is focus on your skill, which anyway you should do as a team.
On what would be a safe total
I don't think in shorter format cricket any total is safe in this day and age. It all comes down to application and who shows more composure in difficult situations in the shorter format rather than having safe totals.
On how he handles pressure of being both a match-winner and captain
How do I handle all this? You have to handle stuff when you're thinking about it. When I choose not to think about something, I don't have to handle it. I carry on with my normal life. On the field I'm captain. Off the field, when I have my own time, I choose to get away from things and relax as any normal human being would do. So I don't think there is too much pressure on me all the time. It's very important to switch off and switch on at important times. Talking about wanting to win games for the country, I've had that mindset since the beginning.
On how invaluable has been Mahendra Singh Dhoni's inputs
It’s priceless to have his thoughts and views on different situations and things that he picks up are really minor. But they make a massive difference in the course of the game or tournament. Identifying who is probably in a better mindset to do a certain job is something that he’s always been a master at, and I keep seeking his advice every now and then to make sure that what I’m thinking is on the right path.Obviously we won’t agree to everything, but more often than not we end up agreeing on the same thing because we’re thinking in the same manner, which is to make the team win regardless of what we sort of plan.
On being voted as best captain by the tournament’s other captains
It is indeed an honour. If you see the names that are captaining the other teams, it feels good that they’ve chosen me as the best captain... Although, I’m pretty early in my shorter format captaincy... But it feels good.
(With additional information from The Telegraph, Calcutta)
