World Of Sports

T.P. Singh declared man of the match

Mumbai, April 13, 2008:The fifth match of the ICL 20s World Series featured the big "Super Sunday" match between traditional rivals ICL India & ICL Pakistani, at the Lal Bahadur Stadium Hyderabad. An exciting encounter was in store with both sides looking for a crucial win to register a place in the final.

In the end the ever improving Indian boys outclassed their arch rivals by a comprehensive margin of 32 runs. TP Singh was declared man of the match for his match winning half century.

Inzamam won the toss and opted to field. The Indians came out with their successful combination of Vignesh & Khaleel. The openers however could not get off to their usual explosive start, with Vignesh falling cheaply for 6 runs in the 2nd over, with the score board reading 15/1. At the end of the 4th over the Indians were off to a steady start at 28/1 & Khaleel continuing his good run at the ICL20s World Series.

Mohammad Sami & Riyaz Afridi were working in some good overs at the middle, stifling the Indian batsmen especially Jhunjhunwala. However Khaleel was rotating the strike well to keep the Indian side in hunt of a good total. A lovely boundary by Khaleel brought about the ICL-India fifty in the 7th over.

The Indian batsmen soon got into the groove and both Khaleel & Jhunjhunwala were working a good partnership brining about the 50 run mark of their partnership in the 9th over. The highlight of the lovely partnership was the right concoction of some quick running between the wickets combined with the occasional calculated hit to the boundary. Just when the young duo was taking the game away from the Pakistani side, Arshad Khan struck with the penultimate ball of the 10th over sending back the dangerous Khaleel for a well made 35. At the halfway mark of their innings the ICL Indians were handsomely placed at 81/2. Khan struck again for the Pakistani side in the 12th over, sending back the prodigal Jhunjhunwala, who again failed to capitalize on a good start of 26 runs off 36 balls.

TP Singh took on the mantle of the Indian batting machine taking them to 121/3 at the end of 15 overs, all set for the final onslaught in the able company of Abbas Ali.

The left hand duo was taking the Pakistani bowling to the cleaners brining about their 50 partnership off only 27 balls. TP Singh was batting in the zone playing some magnificent strokes much to the delight of a packed LBS stadium. Singh brought on his fantastic fifty in the 19th over off only 30balls including 4 fours & 2 massive sixes.

At the halfway mark of the match a clinical batting display by the boys in blue helped set a formidable target of 176/6 in their allotted 20 overs, studded with 13 fours & 3 sixes.

In reply the ICL Pakistani side got off to a great start getting 40 runs off the first 3 overs with the great Abdul Razzaq looking in ominous touch.However the retiring of Nazir due to an injury & Humayun's wicket in the 4th over pegged back the formidable Pakistani chase. Sathish introduced his premiere spinner Murtaza, as early as the 5th over to control the Razzaq carnage.

At the end of the 5th over the ICL Pakistani's were right on target at 48/1.Just when Razzaq was looking to take the match away from the Indians, Vignesh struck again in the 6th over sending back the dangerous all rounder for a well made 38 off only 17 balls. At the half way mark of their innings the ICL Pakistanis were placed 80/2 needing another 98 runs off 60 balls at around 10 runs per over & 8 wickets in hand. The key for the Pakistani team was the inform Hasan Raza battling it out in the middle.

Sathish on his part was mixing his bowlers' well, not allowing the Pakistani batsmen to settle down & in turn keeping the pressure on the required scoring rate. The 100 for the Pakistani side came up in the 14th over with a boundary from Farhat, who started to look good in the company of Raza.

With 5 overs to go the game was poised for a close finish with the Pakistani side placed at 112/2 needing 65 more runs off 30 balls.

Some brilliant bowling by Kumaran & the wily Murtaza in the crucial 16-18th over region, backed by some superb out fielding had the Pakistanis left with the humongous task of getting 56 runs off the last 3 overs.

In the end the superb all round performance from the Indians saw them register their third straight win by a comprehensive margin of 32 runs.

Brief Scores: ICL India176/6 in 20 overs (TP Singh 52, Khaleel 35, Abbas Ali 22 Arshad Khan2/29) won by 32runs against ICL Pakistani 144/6 in 20 overs (Hasan Raza 46, Razzaq 38, Farhat 34, Vignesh 3/22)