3 famous wins for Team India against Pakistan in Asia Cup

#3 India vs Pakistan at Karachi on 26th June, 2008

Sehwag and Raina added 198 runs in 24 overs for the second wicket

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and elected to bat first. Malik scored 125 and Pakistan reached 299 for 4 in 50 overs. That was a huge score for Pakistan on home ground.

Needing 300 for a win, India started badly by losing Gambhir for 9. Suresh Raina came in at No. 3 to join Sehwag. In the third over of Pakistan’s innings, their main strike bowler, Umar Gul left the field after spraining his rib-cage area. That was a big blow for Pakistan as they were one bowler short right from the third over.

Raina was quick to get off the mark as he reached 20 off 14 balls. At the other end, Sehwag was unusually slow as he scored just 2 runs off his first 11 balls. In the 7th over, bowled by Iftikhar Anjum, Sehwag got going with a couple of boundaries. Sohail Tanvir was given the same treatment in the next over as India reached 50 in the 8th over.

Raina at the other end was equally aggressive. Sehwag got into business in the first over bowled by Shahid Afridi by pounding him for 16 runs. India reached 100 in just the 14th over. Raina reached his 50 off 41 balls. Sehwag took a little longer and reached his 50 off 49 balls.

By that time, Pakistan started feeling the absence of Umar Gul. Fawad Alam was brought in to make up the overs of Umar Gul. Alam conceded 12 runs in his first over. At the other end, Afridi was going for plenty and both Sehwag and Raina helped themselves to some easy runs. India reached 150 in just the 20th over.

Fawad Alam’s second over went for 18 runs. Salman Butt, another part-time bowler, was brought in to replace Alam. Sehwag hit him for 2 huge sixes. India reached 200 in the 26th over.

Sehwag reached his 100 off just 80 balls. At the other end, Raina was on queue to get his own hundred. Unfortunately, he got out for 84 runs which came off just 69 balls, with 10 fours and 3 sixes. Raina’s partnership with Sehwag for the second wicket produced 198 runs in less than 24 overs at a run rate 8.25 runs per over. Such was their domination!

Yuvraj came in at the fall of Raina’s wicket. At the other end, Sehwag going for his 6th six, was caught at long-on for 119 runs which came off 95 balls, with 12 fours and 5 huge sixes.

Yuvraj took off from where Sehwag left. Yuvraj, along with Dhoni, brought about India’s 250 in the 36th over. Dhoni, after a quiet start, went on the rampage with Yuvraj. The two put on 63 runs for the 3rd wicket. When they were just 5 runs away from the target, Yuvraj got out for 48, which included 3 towering sixes.

Dhoni finished off the match in his customary style by hitting Younis Khan out of the ground. India won the match by 6 wickets, with 47 balls to spare. India had beaten Pakistan in Pakistan.

As an anti-climax, India lost to Sri Lanka in the final.

Come 19th September 2018, India and Pakistan will be lined up for yet another epic encounter in the Asia Cup.