Tendulkar's 38th century lifts India to 315-6 by Staff reporter

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Ground:	Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Scorecard:	India v Pakistan
Player:	SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar
Event:	Pakistan in India 2004/05

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DateLine: 12th April 2005

 

Sachin Tendulkar hit 123, increasing his world record tally of one-day centuries to 38, as India piled up 315-6 from 48 overs in the fourth international against Pakistan here.

 

Tendulkar, who managed just 12 runs in the previous three matches, smashed 12 boundaries and a six in his 127-ball innings before suffering an attack of cramps in hot weather towards the end of the innings on Tuesday.

 

Yuvraj Singh remained unbeaten with 35 off 26 balls which contained five boundaries.

 

India lead 2-1 in the six-match series and will gain an unbeatable lead if they win here.

 

Tendulkar added 129 off 135 balls for the second wicket with Mahendra Dhoni (47) after putting on 65 for the first with Virender Sehwag (29).

 

Dhoni made a confident 47 off 65 balls in which he hit four fours and a six off Danish Kaneria over long-off.

 

Dhoni survived a chance on 45 when wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal missed a stumping chance off spinner Shoaib Malik but Akmal made amends by taking a catch down the leg-side in the same over.

 

Sehwag was run out by a direct throw at the non-striker's end from Younis Khan after Tendulkar pushed the ball towards mid-wicket but declined a single.

 

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who won the toss and elected to bat, continued his poor form when he was run out after scoring an unconvincing 18. He has now scored just 31 runs in the limited-overs series after making 48 in the preceding three Tests.

 

Malik was Pakistan's most successful bowler with 3-67.

 

Seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who bagged a career-best 6-27 in the previous match in Jamshedpur, went for 51 runs in his first six overs which included seven boundaries, three by Sehwag in one over.

 

Pakistan retained the same team which won at Jamshedpur while India made two changes.

 

Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik replaced an injured Harbhajan Singh (side strain) while Lakshmipathy Balaji came in for paceman Irfan Pathan.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Pakistan Cricket Board)