5 best India ODI comebacks while defending

#2 India vs. Pakistan, 6 January 2013, Delhi

Result: India won by 10 runs

Jadeja contributed with both bat and ball

India came into the third ODI of the series looking to avoid a rare whitewash at home. After winning the toss in the chilly Delhi weather, India opted to bat first. The conditions were challenging for the batsmen and India lost wickets at regular intervals. Saeed Ajmal ran through the Indian lower-order picking a 5-wicket haul restricting India to a low total of 167. There were few useful contributions from Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The total would have been even lower but for a couple of big hits by Ravindra Jadeja down the order.

Playing their debut series, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami provided India a great start conceding just 22 runs in the first 10 overs. Shami started off with two maiden overs in his debut game with Bhuvneshwar accounting for Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan at the other end. Pakistan Captain Misbah-ul-Haq batted cautiously, first with Nasir Jamshed and then with Umar Akmal to take Pakistan to 113/3 in 34 overs.

On the first delivery of the 35th over, India got a much needed breakthrough when Misbah glided a delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin straight to Ajinkya Rahane positioned smartly at leg slip. The runs required at that stage were just 55 in 95 balls with 6 wickes in hand. Pakistan lost another couple of wickets, but, were still the favourites with Mohammad Hafeez at the crease.

All the Indian bowlers bowled some tight overs to mount the required rate. Jadeja was particularly impressive conceding just 19 runs in his 10 overs. The equation had come down to 24 required of 24 balls. This became 23 from 12 as India bowled two great overs with Ishant Sharma conceding just one run and picking up a wicket while two wickets, including a run-out, came from yet another maiden over from Shami.

In the next over, Hafeez brought Pakistan back into the game hitting two boundaries bringing the runs down to just 11 from 8 deliveries. But he was dismissed off the very next ball hitting a full length delivery from Ishant straight to Yuvraj at mid-wicket to help India to a consolation victory. It was a great team effort from the Indians bowlers, who were complemented by excellent fielding.