Yuvraj leads India to one-day win over Pakistan by AFP

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Ground:	Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Scorecard:	Pakistan v India
Player:	Yuvraj Singh
Event:	India in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 11th February 2006

 

Dashing left-hander Yuvraj Singh smashed an impressive unbeaten 82 to help India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the second one-day international here on Saturday.

 

Yuvraj built on Virender Sehwag's rapid 68-ball 67 and captain Rahul Dravid's 56 as the tourists chased a target of 266 with ease in just 43 overs at the Pindi cricket stadium.

 

With the crushing win the tourists levelled the five-match series 1-1 after losing the first match at Peshawar by seven runs after special bad light rules came into play.

 

India's run-chase on a slow paced pitch was never in doubt after Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar (42) gave the visitors a stunning start, scoring 105 runs by the 16th over.

 

Pakistan, missing their leading quick bowler Shoaib Akhtar for a second match in a row due to an ankle injury, failed to get the early breakthrough as Sehwag hit ten fours and a six to put India firmly in control.

 

Sachin Tendulkar, who initially played second fiddle to Sehwag, hit eight boundaries before edging paceman Abdul Razzaq to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.

 

Sehwag was eventually run out after he failed to beat a direct hit on the stumps as he attempted a third run.

 

Dravid and Yuvraj batted solidly and took their team to within 25 runs of victory with a stand of 118 for the third wicket, before the captain gave a return catch to Shoaib Malik after hitting five boundaries.

 

Yuvraj hit eight fours and two sixes during his 89-ball knock.

 

Pakistan owed their total to a brilliant 95 by Malik and a fighting 81 by Younis Khan who shared a 102-run stand for the fifth wicket to lift their team from a precarious 68-4.

 

Indian pacer Irfan Pathan removed Salman Butt (nought) and Kamran Akmal (14) in an incisive opening burst of seven overs to jolt Pakistan after they elected to bat on a slow-paced wicket.

 

Malik, who scored 90 in the first match at Peshawar, was again unlucky to miss his century when he ran himself out on 95 after smashing 13 boundaries.

 

The loss of Mohammad Yousuf (one) and captain Inzamam-ul Haq (eight) by the 14th over had put the home team in a precarious position before Malik and Younis rescued the innings.

 

Younis, who had scored 553 runs in the preceding three-Test series which Pakistan won 1-0, compiled nine boundaries in a knock of 81 before miscuing a drive off Ajit Agarkar straight to Mohammad Kaif in the 47th over.

 

Shahid Afridi (18) hit a six and two fours to entertain a capacity 19,000 crowd before he miscued a drive off Pathan who finished with 3-43.

 

The hard hitting Razzaq managed 14 as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 61 runs to be bowled out for 265 in 49.2 overs.

 

The third match of the series will be played in Lahore on Monday.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)