By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Gwalior : Sachin Tendulkar Thursday celebrated the 18th anniversary of his international cricket debut with a brilliant 97 in India’s six-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth One-Day International here. The victory gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
On Nov 15, 1989, a teenaged Tendulkar had made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi. Exactly 18 years later, the Mumbai maestro helped India to 260 for four wickets in 46.3 overs to overhaul Pakistan’s 255 for six wickets in 50 overs.
Yuvraj Singh (53 not out) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (45 not out) remained unbeaten as a packed Captain Roop Singh Stadium rooted for the home side.
The fifth and final match will be played in Jaipur Sunday, followed by a three-match Test series.
Sourav Ganguly (5) again failed to get a big score and departed in the third over as he edged to Younis Khan in the third slip off fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. Gautam Gambhir (3), who followed in next, lasted just 13 balls.
Gambhir attempted a weak pull off pacer Rao Iftikhar Anjum and was caught at square leg by Sohail Tanvir in the ninth over.
With two wickets down by the ninth over, India were in a precarious position. But comeback man Virender Sehwag (43) stitched a match-winning 107-run partnership with Tendulkar to virtually seal the win.
The series was an opportunity for Sehwag to prove his worth again. He rose to the occasion at the right time and played a stellar knock that lasted 49 balls, spanking the Pakistan bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Tendulkar, on the other hand, made Thursday a day to remember. Eighteen years ago, it wasn’t a memorable Test debut for him as he made only 15 in the first innings in Karachi and didn’t get to bat in the second.
But as a 34-year-old, Tendulkar once again gave a fitting reply to his detractors. He was in sublime form as he played his shots beautifully, delighting the packed house. He thoroughly deserved a century but for the sixth time this year fell in the 90s when fast bowler Umar Gul rattled his stumps.
Tendulkar’s 97 overshadowed Yousuf’s unbeaten knock of 99, which helped Pakistan post a 250-plus total after captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and opted to bat.
The visitors were pushed on the back foot as openers Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik failed to give the visitors a good start in their last chance to stay alive in the series.
Butt departed without opening his account off the second ball of the day bowled by pacer Rudra Pratap Singh. The opener has been in fine form in this series, and after his valiant 129 in the last match in Kanpur he was always going to be the danger man. But he was caught at the crease trying to push forward and was trapped in front.
Opener Malik, who has been going through a rough patch, then scored a patient 31 off 55 deliveries to steady the ship. Malik along with Younis (68) added 78 for the second wicket at a time when the Indian bowlers were on top.
Younis and Malik took their own sweet time to build the innings. The Pakistan captain looked in fine touch as he picked pacer Irfan Pathan for a sweetly timed four over the midwicket in the fourth over. Two balls later Younis got a life at six as wicketkeeper Dhoni dropped him.
Younis capitalised on the chance and soon swept off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for a huge six over the mid-wicket.
Malik and Younis were cruising along well and slowly building the innings when Zaheer Khan broke the partnership in the 20th over. Zaheer rattled Malik’s stump to pick his 200th wicket.
After Malik’s dismissal Yousuf joined Younis and the duo stitched a 51-run partnership for the third wicket.
Yuvraj gave India the much need breakthrough in the 30th over by showing Younis the way back to the pavilion. Younis tried to work across a well flighted delivery, but instead gave a return catch to the bowler, Yuvraj.
Shahid Afridi, who came in next, also failed to get going as Ganguly trapped him leg before the wicket in the 33rd over.
Misbah-ul-Haq and Yousuf then started the final onslaught on the Indian bowlers and added 94 runs for the fifth wicket to help Pakistan cross the 200-run mark. Misbah smashed a quick 40 off 39 balls.
In the last over, Yousuf hit a huge six to get to 97. But off the last ball, he could score two runs and was left stranded on 99.
SCOREBOARD
Fourth One-Day International, India vs. Pakistan, Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior
Pakistan:
Salman Butt lbw b Singh 0
Shoaib Malik b Khan 31
Younis Khan c & b Yuvraj Singh 68
Mohammad Yousuf not out 99
Shahid Afridi lbw Ganguly 1
Misbah-ul-Haq b Pathan 40
Sohail Tanvir lbw Khan 6
Kamran Akmal not out 2
Extras: (lb 6, w 2) 8
Total (for six wickets in 50 overs) 255
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Butt, 0.2 overs), 2-78 (Malik, 19.3), 3-129 (Younis, 29.6), 4-134 (Afridi, 32.1), 5-228 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 47.1), 6-243 (Tanvir, 48.5)
Bowling:
Rudra Pratap Singh 10-1-53-1
Irfan Pathan 10-1-52-1
Zaheer Khan 10-0-40-2
Harbhajan Singh 10-0-52-0 (1w)
Yuvraj Singh 3-0-12-1
Virender Sehwag 2-0-11-0
Sourav Ganguly 5-0-29-1
India:
Sourav Ganguly c Younis b Shoaib 5
Sachin Tendulkar b Gul 97
Gautam Gambhir c Tanvir b Anjum 3
Virender Sehwag run out (Malik) 43
Yuvraj Singh not out 53
Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 45
Extras: (lb 8, w 6) 14
Total (for four wickets in 46.3 overs) 260
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Ganguly, 2.2 overs), 2-48 (Gambhir, 8.2), 3-155 (Sehwag, 27.3), 4-4-159 (Tendulkar, 29.1)
Bowling:
Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-49-1 (3w)
Rao Ifthikar Anjum 10-0-35-1
Sohail Tanvir 7-1-43-0
Umar Gul 8-0-42-1
Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-35-1
Shahid Afridi 10-0-67-0 (1w)
Salman Butt 1.3-0-16-0
Result: India won by six wickets, win series 3-1
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Billy Doctrove (West Indies) and Ameish Saheba (India)
TV umpire: G.A. Pratapkumar (India)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)