Raina, Dhoni power India to 374
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Had it not been for a 15-over spell in which just 47 runs were scored, the highest total in ODIs - Sri Lanka's 443 for 9 against Netherlands - would have been under serious threat in India's opening game of the Asia Cup against Hong Kong in Karachi. India finally managed 374 for 4, with Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni helping themselves to centuries against a hapless bowling attack after Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir had built a wonderful platform, according to website cricinfo.
India's innings revolved around two partnerships: the opening stand of 127 between Sehwag - who blitzed a 44-ball 78 - and Gambhir, while Raina - whose 66-ball hundred is the second-fastest by an Indian - and Dhoni amassed 166 for the fourth wicket, an Asia Cup record. Both partnerships came at more than eight an over, which put Rohit Sharma's dismal effort - 11 off 29 balls - into perspective.
Dhoni chose to bat, and the openers seemed intent on marking the 25th anniversary of India's World Cup upset over West Indies in style. They raced to 100 in just 10.5 overs, the quickest India have reached the mark. Hong Kong's opening bowlers didn't pose any menace with their pace, and the batsmen feasted on easy offerings, with deliveries straying on the pads and wide outside off stump.
Sehwag was the more aggressive of the two, scoring the bulk of his runs through the covers and the midwicket region. Gambhir eased into the secondary role, but still scored at more than a run a ball. Afzaal Haider, Irfan Ahmed and Roy Lamsam all leaked runs in fours and sixes, and Tabarak Dar, the Hong Kong captain, was forced to introduce his left-arm spinners early.
The spinners did well to stem the runs as Hong Kong reined in India's attack. Najeem Ahmed was once again impressive after having given Pakistan a scare on Tuesday, but it was fellow left-armer Najeed Amar who did the damage with the wickets of Sehwag and Gambhir. The two, along with Munir Dar, put the brakes on the scoring as India crawled from 127 in 15 overs to 159 after 25.
Dhoni and Raina, though, managed to double the 178 that India had scored after 30 overs. Dhoni, batting at No. 4, was off the blocks quickly, finding the gap through the covers for two fours off Nadeem. He lunged his front foot forward against the spinners, trying to smother the turn. Largely content with the singles, he kept the rate ticking along with Raina.
Rohit struggled against the spinners, but Raina, using his advantage as a left-hander, managed to push the left-arm bowlers into the gaps and takes the singles. His first four came off only the 29th delivery he faced, a fluent drive through extra cover. He then picked up the pace with three fours in the space of five deliveries, en route to a run-a-ball fifty.
India may not have scored at the five an over Dhoni desired in the middle overs, but they smashed 129 in the final ten overs. With wickets in hands, they started taking their chances. Munir Dar's figures of 31 off seven overs was spoiled as he was taken for 17 in the 36th over, but that was just the precursor to the final-overs test Hong Kong's bowlers were put. Both batsmen targeted the straight boundary, and a few hits even landed on the roof.
Raina pummelled four sixes - all over long-on - off the 42nd over from Skhawat Ali, which cost 25 runs. Irfan Ahmed was then smartly chipped over extra cover for four, and a slower one was carted behind square to bring up his first hundred. Raina fell for 101, but Dhoni hung around to compile his fourth ODI hundred - his strike-rate of 113.54, though, makes this the slowest of his four tons, a bit surprising given Hong Kong were the opponents.
India's innings revolved around two partnerships: the opening stand of 127 between Sehwag - who blitzed a 44-ball 78 - and Gambhir, while Raina - whose 66-ball hundred is the second-fastest by an Indian - and Dhoni amassed 166 for the fourth wicket, an Asia Cup record. Both partnerships came at more than eight an over, which put Rohit Sharma's dismal effort - 11 off 29 balls - into perspective.
Dhoni chose to bat, and the openers seemed intent on marking the 25th anniversary of India's World Cup upset over West Indies in style. They raced to 100 in just 10.5 overs, the quickest India have reached the mark. Hong Kong's opening bowlers didn't pose any menace with their pace, and the batsmen feasted on easy offerings, with deliveries straying on the pads and wide outside off stump.
Sehwag was the more aggressive of the two, scoring the bulk of his runs through the covers and the midwicket region. Gambhir eased into the secondary role, but still scored at more than a run a ball. Afzaal Haider, Irfan Ahmed and Roy Lamsam all leaked runs in fours and sixes, and Tabarak Dar, the Hong Kong captain, was forced to introduce his left-arm spinners early.
The spinners did well to stem the runs as Hong Kong reined in India's attack. Najeem Ahmed was once again impressive after having given Pakistan a scare on Tuesday, but it was fellow left-armer Najeed Amar who did the damage with the wickets of Sehwag and Gambhir. The two, along with Munir Dar, put the brakes on the scoring as India crawled from 127 in 15 overs to 159 after 25.
Dhoni and Raina, though, managed to double the 178 that India had scored after 30 overs. Dhoni, batting at No. 4, was off the blocks quickly, finding the gap through the covers for two fours off Nadeem. He lunged his front foot forward against the spinners, trying to smother the turn. Largely content with the singles, he kept the rate ticking along with Raina.
Rohit struggled against the spinners, but Raina, using his advantage as a left-hander, managed to push the left-arm bowlers into the gaps and takes the singles. His first four came off only the 29th delivery he faced, a fluent drive through extra cover. He then picked up the pace with three fours in the space of five deliveries, en route to a run-a-ball fifty.
India may not have scored at the five an over Dhoni desired in the middle overs, but they smashed 129 in the final ten overs. With wickets in hands, they started taking their chances. Munir Dar's figures of 31 off seven overs was spoiled as he was taken for 17 in the 36th over, but that was just the precursor to the final-overs test Hong Kong's bowlers were put. Both batsmen targeted the straight boundary, and a few hits even landed on the roof.
Raina pummelled four sixes - all over long-on - off the 42nd over from Skhawat Ali, which cost 25 runs. Irfan Ahmed was then smartly chipped over extra cover for four, and a slower one was carted behind square to bring up his first hundred. Raina fell for 101, but Dhoni hung around to compile his fourth ODI hundred - his strike-rate of 113.54, though, makes this the slowest of his four tons, a bit surprising given Hong Kong were the opponents.