COLOMBO: The Pathan brothers pulled off a sensational coup at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday night. India were looking down the barrel at 115/7, needing another 57 runs from 29 balls, when Yusuf was joined by his brother Irfan. After a quick word with his brother, Yusuf got down to business straightaway by tonking two massive sixes and a boundary off Malinga Bandara, who had till then mesmerised the Indians by claiming three wickets.
The elder brother had shown the way and Irfan, who had a horrible day in the field, decided to make amends. He started off by forking out an inside out shot off Lasith Malinga for a boundary. In between they kept the scoreboard ticking with deft placements. In three overs the Pathans had lopped off 39 runs. Now 18 were needed from the last two overs.
Irfan took charge by pulling a Dilhara Fernando delivery for six over midwicket and then smashed the same bowler to the fence. The match had turned India’s way by then as only five runs were needed off six balls.
Yusuf tapped the first ball off Malinga for a single and Irfan finished the game in style by carting a slower delivery for a six over midwicket. Both fell in each other’s arms as a stunned capacity crowd watched in silence. World champions India had signed off their Lankan sojourn on a high by winning the first T20 international between the two teams.
For a change, the toss, won by Lanka, was not a deterrent. That’s the way T20 goes, against the odds. Gautam Gambhir had provided a fluent start as India began the 172-run chase in right earnest. He gathered 13 runs off a Malinga over but things started falling apart soon after.
Virender Sehwag was run out and he himself fell trying to force the pace. Yuvraj Singh (35; 21b, 3x4, 2x6) then took charge in the company of Suresh Raina (35; 27b, 5x4, 1x6) and they kept India in the hunt, raising 67 runs in 42 balls. But once the spinners came on, the Indians innings lost their way until the Pathans turned it around.
Age is just a number, ask Sanath Jayasuriya. At 39, he pulled out some of his trademark shots to leave the Indian bowling in tatters. He cracked 33 off 17 balls, inclusive of two sixes off an Ishant Sharma over, to set the Lankan innings on a roll. Jayasuriya’s blitz saw the Lankans scream to 59 in six overs.
Skipper Dilshan (61; 47b, 7x4, 1x6) then played his part to guide the innings superbly as the Lankans posted their second-best total in T20 international. Dilshan, who was dropped by Irfan when he had not even opened his account, ensured that the fielder paid for the lapse by posting his T20 best. He was particularly severe on Zaheer and Ishant and each was hammered for 14 runs in an over.
http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Specials/India_in_Sri_Lanka/News/Pathan_power_propels_India/articleshow/4108948.cms
The elder brother had shown the way and Irfan, who had a horrible day in the field, decided to make amends. He started off by forking out an inside out shot off Lasith Malinga for a boundary. In between they kept the scoreboard ticking with deft placements. In three overs the Pathans had lopped off 39 runs. Now 18 were needed from the last two overs.
Irfan took charge by pulling a Dilhara Fernando delivery for six over midwicket and then smashed the same bowler to the fence. The match had turned India’s way by then as only five runs were needed off six balls.
Yusuf tapped the first ball off Malinga for a single and Irfan finished the game in style by carting a slower delivery for a six over midwicket. Both fell in each other’s arms as a stunned capacity crowd watched in silence. World champions India had signed off their Lankan sojourn on a high by winning the first T20 international between the two teams.
For a change, the toss, won by Lanka, was not a deterrent. That’s the way T20 goes, against the odds. Gautam Gambhir had provided a fluent start as India began the 172-run chase in right earnest. He gathered 13 runs off a Malinga over but things started falling apart soon after.
Virender Sehwag was run out and he himself fell trying to force the pace. Yuvraj Singh (35; 21b, 3x4, 2x6) then took charge in the company of Suresh Raina (35; 27b, 5x4, 1x6) and they kept India in the hunt, raising 67 runs in 42 balls. But once the spinners came on, the Indians innings lost their way until the Pathans turned it around.
Age is just a number, ask Sanath Jayasuriya. At 39, he pulled out some of his trademark shots to leave the Indian bowling in tatters. He cracked 33 off 17 balls, inclusive of two sixes off an Ishant Sharma over, to set the Lankan innings on a roll. Jayasuriya’s blitz saw the Lankans scream to 59 in six overs.
Skipper Dilshan (61; 47b, 7x4, 1x6) then played his part to guide the innings superbly as the Lankans posted their second-best total in T20 international. Dilshan, who was dropped by Irfan when he had not even opened his account, ensured that the fielder paid for the lapse by posting his T20 best. He was particularly severe on Zaheer and Ishant and each was hammered for 14 runs in an over.
http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Specials/India_in_Sri_Lanka/News/Pathan_power_propels_India/articleshow/4108948.cms
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