Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf shared a record fourth-wicket stand to help Pakistan beat India by 54 runs on Saturday and reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
Pakistan compiled 302 for nine after winning the toss and batting, before restricting their arch-rivals to 248 all out.
The victory led Pakistan to the top of Group A with four points from two matches ahead of Australia on two points. India and the West Indies have no points.
PHOTO: AFP
“From now on, it’s like a knockout for us,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni told reporters after his side’s first match in Group A had ended in defeat. “If we don’t play well, we can pack up and go back home.”
Shoaib (128) and Yousuf (87) put on 206 in 193 balls, the biggest stand for any wicket in the Champions Trophy and a fourth-wicket record for Pakistan.
The previous record in the competition was 192 for the first wicket, shared by Indians Virender Sehwag and Saurav Ganguly against England in Colombo in 2002, and Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds for the West Indies against Bangladesh in Southampton, England, in 2004.
Pakistan’s previous best for the fourth wicket was an unbroken stand of 198 between Kamran Akmal and Misbah ul-Haq against Australia in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
Shoaib cracked 128 in 126 deliveries, with 16 fours, to record his seventh one-day international century.
The 27-year-old really hit form in the latter stages of his innings, needing just 27 deliveries for his second 50.
Yousuf’s 87 featured seven fours in a classy display of wristy stroke-making.
Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra struck twice with the new ball for India and finished with four for 55.
He had little support, however, with only Ishant Sharma pegging back the Pakistan batsmen with two for 39.
Rahul Dravid top-scored for India with 76 before being run out in the 42nd over, Umar Gul’s fine throw from the cover boundary beating him after Harbhajan Singh had called for a third run.
India were given a powerful start by Gautam Gambhir, who lashed 57 off 46 balls, while Suresh Raina added 46 in 41 deliveries.
Pakistan, though, eventually cruised to victory after claiming the last five wickets for 43 runs.
Naved ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal all picked up two wickets.
Seventeen-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Aamer also grabbed two for 46, including Sachin Tendulkar for 8.
■AUSTRALIA V W INDIES
REUTERS, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Half-centuries from Ricky Ponting and Mitchell Johnson helped Australia to secure a 50-run win over the West Indies in their Champions Trophy Group A match at the Wanderers on Saturday.
Johnson smashed his way to 73 not out off 47 balls with eight fours and three sixes, while Ponting scored 79 runs off 95 deliveries as Australia posted 275 for eight in their first match of the tournament.
In reply, the West Indies could only manage 225 all out in 46.5 overs, with Dale Richards unable to bat because of injury.
The defeat was the West Indies’ second consecutive loss of the tournament, effectively ruling them out of semi-final contention.
The left-handed Johnson needed just 40 deliveries to bring up his maiden one-day international half-century, eclipsing his previous best of 43 not out scored against England at Lord’s earlier this month.
In the process, Johnson shared in an eighth-wicket partnership with Brett Lee (25) that realized 70 runs to boost the Australian score after they had stuttered to 171 for seven in the 40th over.
So savage was Johnson’s assault that 103 runs were scored off the last 10 overs of the Australian innings.
Earlier, Ponting strode imperiously to his 69th one-day international half-century before he was stumped by Walton off the bowling of left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
Ponting’s departure came in the middle of an Australian slump in which the defending champions lost five wickets for 51 runs before Johnson’s rescue act.
Miller was at the heart of the Australian middle-order collapse, as the 27-year-old captured two for 24 off 10 overs.
The total proved too much despite half-centuries from Andre Fletcher and Travis Dowlin.
The duo built an 86-run second-wicket partnership before Fletcher was run out for 54. Dowlin made his way to a patient 55 off 87 balls before he edged a Brett Lee delivery.
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