India beat Pak by 40 runs

(##include msid=43376741,type=11##)India registered a thumping 40-run win over Pakistan to win thefive-match ODI series 3-2 under lights at Lahore on Wednesday.Chasing a competitive 294 to win, Pakistan were on the ropes fromthe outset, losing wickets fairly early and tottering at 58/4 in the 13th over.Late heroics from Moin Khan (72 off 71 balls) and Shoaib Malik (65 off 89 balls)could not save the day for Pakistan as they were dismissed for 253 in the 48thover. The Indian effort with the bat was spearheaded by the stylishHyderabadi batsman VVS Laxman who came out of the dumps to slam his first ODIton against Pakistan. Interestingly, in the last match at Lahore, Laxman reachedthe double figures for the first time against Pakistan! Irfan Pathan, who has beenthe find of the series, then joined the party when he got rid of Yousuf Youhanato a fortuitous decision. Youhana was declared leg before though action replaysshowed that the ball had hit the bat first before thudding onto the pads.Pakistan were now tottering at 9/2 in just the 3rd over. The otherPak opener Taufeeq Umar (18 off 17 balls), drafted in to replace the out-of-formShahid Afridi, played three delectable hits to the fence off Balaji before hisleg stump was sent flying by Irfan Pathan. Umar moved too much inside the lineof the delivery and paid the price. Pakistan were now 25/3. Inretrospect, it was a poor decision by Pak selectors to drop Afridi who couldhave single-handedly got Pak off to a flyer and also because Umar was coming toplay in a crunch match after a long layoff. It was now up to the''Sleeping Giant'' Inzamam-ul-Haq to once again play a captain''s knock and bailhis side out of trouble. Alongside Younis Khan, Inzamam notched up a 33-runstand before Khan (12 off 20) failed to capitalise on a half volley bowled fromIrfan Pathan and gave a regulation catch to Yuvraj Singh at point.Meanwhile, Inzamam wasplaying with his typical nonchalance, cutting and driving the ball at will. Itwas at this point that the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly got himself into anawful tangle as he tried to stop a drive from Inzamam. Ganguly dived and thenlay motionless for several minutes. He was finally carried off the field on astretcher with a suspected injury to the lower back. Murali Kartikonce again bowled an excellent line to frustrate Inzamam and finally claim hiswicket. Batting on 38 from 51 balls, Inzamam was splendidly caught by SachinTendulkar at the boundary line who took a running catch just inches from thefence. Much was expected from Abdul Razzaq (5) but Virender Sehwagtook a comfortable catch off a lofted drive with Balaji taking his secondwicket. Shoaib Malik and Moin Khan then brought up a recordsixth-wicket partnership against India to give the hosts a glimmer of hope.Sehwag got the breakthrough when he had Shoaib (65 off 89 balls) caught in thedeep by Mohammad Kaif. Earlier, Sehwag looked good for his 20 beforehe once again tried to manufacture a short and was caught behind. Tendulkar made37 before he once again tried to guide the ball to the third man region only tosee Moin Khan pocket the edge behind the stumps. Ganguly made alaboured 45 from 64 balls before he edged the ball to Moin Khan one off Shoaib.The dismissals of Rahul Dravid (4), Yuvraj Singh (18) and Mohammad Kaif (16)caused a bit of a flutter in the Indian camp before Irfan Pathan (20 off 12 )and Balaji (10 off 6) started slamming the ball all round thepark.