India’s Dinesh Karthik misses a catch during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Pakistan at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, yesterday. India won by eight wickets.
BIRMINGHAM: World Cup holders India continued their formidable Champions Trophy form with a rain-marred eight-wicket demolition of arch-rivals Pakistan yesterday.
The highly-anticipated encounter in front of 22,000 boisterous flag-waving supporters from both sides who packed the Edgbaston stands, was interrupted several times by bad weather over Birmingham.
In a match that was initially reduced to 40-overs-a-side, Pakistan were shot out for 165 in 39.4 overs after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to field in overcast conditions.
India were set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 168 in 40 overs, which was later revised to 157 off 36 overs, before another rain delay reduced it further to 102 in 22 overs. India, who were 63-1 in 11.3 overs at that stage, easily scored the remaining runs with 17 balls to spare to end their group B engagements with an all-win record.
Shikhar Dhawan, century-maker against both the West Indies and South Africa, hit a fluent 48 after sharing an opening stand of 58 with Rohit Sharma.
After both openers were dismissed, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik saw India home in a match that held only academic interest for the tournament.
Dhoni’s men await the second-placed team from group A -- to be determined after the last round of league matches today and tomorrow -- in the semi-final in Cardiff on Thursday.
South Africa, runners-up to India in group B, will play the champion side from group A in the first semi-final at Oval, London, on Wednesday.
India put on a dazzling display in the field as Pakistan were shot out for less than 200 for the third successive time in the tournament. Four bowlers claimed two wickets each and the last two batsmen were run out.
Dhoni later said: “The fan support has always been there, no matter where we play. The whole team is doing really well, in all the three departments.” The Indian captain added: “We are the top fielding side in world cricket as of now, we need to keep the intensity up. Bhuvneshwar bowls very good areas, and can swing the ball, he’s someone who has given us the early breakthroughs, good to see him bowl well.”
Pakistan skipper Misbah said: “Disappointing performance again with the bat, the weather also played a part, difficult to get in and out so many times. In this sort of format, it is too short for the teams because you have one bad day at the start of the tournament, you are almost out of it. I think the bowling did okay for us, the way they are establishing themselves, really a plus for Pakistan.” AGENCIES
