Asia Cup 2008

[Nadeem]

Two matches were played on the first day of Asia Cup 2008

http://geo.tv/6-24-2008/eng/6-24-2008_19794_l.gif



Pakistan began its Asia Cup campaign with comfortable victory against minnows Hong Kong. The host team beat Hong Kong by 155 runs in the first match played at National Stadium today.

Earlier, Pakistan elected to bat first after winning the toss and scored 288 runs in 50 overs. The host lost the wicket of Salman Butt in very first over of the match. Captain Shoaib Malik then steadied the inning with experienced Younis Khan and both put a partnership of 67 runs before Malik departure.

Younis was then joined by Yousuf who developed another partnership of 54 runs. Pakistan looked in deep trouble after wickets of Younis and Younis and at one time Pakistan had lost seven wickets with 161 runs on board. However, Fawad Alam and Suheel Tanvir gave a 100 run partnership, setting a formidable target of 288 runs.

Naveed Alam of UAE got four wickets in the match. In response Hong Kong could manage only 133 runs. Suheel Tanvir, Shahid Afridi and Rao Iftikhar got two wickets each.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-24-2008/eng/6-24-2008_19797_l.gif



LAHORE: Bangladesh beat UAE by 96 runs in Asia cup today. Bangladesh team batted first and set a target of 300 runs for minnows UAE.

UAE team in reply could score only 204 runs in 45.4 overs.

Bangladesh’s bowlers’ Abdul Razazq, Alok Kapali and Muhhamad Allah got two wickets each. Captain Muhammad Ashraful judged man of the match for his brilliant century. The match was telecast live on Geo Super.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-25-2008/eng/6-25-2008_19841_l.gif



KARACHI: India, playing their first match in the Asia Cup 2008, thrashed minnows Hong Kong by a huge margin of 256 runs in Group ‘B’ match here on Wednesday at the National Stadium.

This is the biggest margin of victory in the history of Asia Cup, surpassing the previous record of 233 runs, set by Pakistan against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2000.

Chasing an improbable target of 375 runs, Hong Kong were looking unable to do so right from the beginning as wickets fell at regular intervals and they were all out for 118 runs in 36.5 overs.

Only five of the Hong Kong batsmen could enter into double figures. They were Irfan Ahmed (25), James Atkinson (23), captain Tabarak Dar (21), Roy Lamsam (16) and Najeeb Amar (13 not out).

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was the most outstanding bowler, who bagged four wickets for 23 while Virender Singh claimed two for just five runs.

Earlier, India plundered cricket minnows Hong Kong to score massive 374 runs for four wickets after winning the toss..

This is the highest team total in the history of the Asia Cup, eclipsing the previous record of 343-5, set by Pakistan against the same team at Colombo in 2004.

This is also the highest ODI score by any team at a Pakistani ground. The previous record was set by the West Indies 20 years ago when they made 360-4 against Sri Lanka at the same ground in the World Cup’87.

However, this is India’s third highest total in One-day International cricket.

India made this mammoth score with the help of two individual hundreds and two fifties. The centurians were Captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

Dhoni remained unbeaten on 109 runs, scored from 96 balls with six sixers and as many fours while Raina made more aggressive 101 off 68 balls with seven fours and five sixes.

They added together 166 runs for the fourth wicket partnership, the Asia Cup record for this wicket, surpassing 139, set by Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh at Kolkata in 1990-91.

Openers Virender Sehwag and Gambhir Singh made together 127 runs. Sehwag smashed 78 off 44 balls with 13 boundaries and two sixes and Gambhir made 51 off 54 balls with seven fours.

For Hong Kong, Najeeb Amar claimed two wickets for 40 runs while Afzal Haider took one wicket at a heavy cost of 72 runs from only six overs.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-26-2008/eng/6-26-2008_19846_l.gif


LAHORE: Sri Lanka clang handsome 131 runs win over Bangladesh at Gaddafi Stadium.

Sri Lanka got better of Bangladesh by 131 runs in other match at Gaddafi Stadium wherein winners set tough target 357 runs for 9 as Sangakara, stylish, hit 101 and veteran Jayasoria made 72.

Bangladesh managed to score 226 for 7 in 50 overs with Mushfique 44 and Raqib-ul-Hassan 35.

Muthaya Muralitharan was the leading wicket taker with 2 wickets from Sri Lanka.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-27-2008/eng/6-27-2008_19901_l.gif



KARACHI: India easily chased the big target of 300 runs for the loss of four wickets in the high-scoring final of the Group ‘B’ in the Asia Cup here on Thursday at the National Stadium.

Chasing 300, India lost opener Gambhir Singh wheen they were on just 12 runs but then Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina played strokes all around the ground and added 198 runs for the second wicket – the Asia Cup record.

Previously, it was 154 set by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly against Bangladesh at Colombo in 2004.

Sehwag completed his ninth ODI century and later was dismissed at 119 runs, made off 95 balls with 12 fours and five sixes.

Raina scored 84 from 69 balls and hit ten fours and three sixes.

Later, Yuvraj Singh also batted well, scoring 48 off 47 balls with three sixes and one four.

Captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni remained not out on 26 when his team reached the target in 42.1 overs, winning the match by six wickets.

Earlier winning the toss, captain Shoaib Malik decided to bat first and opened the innings with Salman Butt. Though they batted slowly but gave a solid foundation with their opening stand of 90 runs before Butt departed for 35.

Then Younus Khan joined Malik and the score moved gradually on a faster pace. Malik completed his sixth ODI century and Younus Khan reached his 34th fifty.

They added 129 runs when Malik retired hurt after scoring 125 off 119 balls with 16 fours and a six. Younus Khan scored 59 off 60 balls with five fours.

Later, Misbah-ul-Haq (31 not out) and Mohammad Yousuf (30 off 20 balls) succeeding totake Pakistan’s score to 299-4.

Shahid Afridi failed again and could make only nine runs from eight balls.

For India, RP Singh, Pyush Chawla and Yusuf Pathan took one wicket each.

Pakistan remained unchanged from their first-match line-up while India have made two changes in their team which played against Hong Kong yesterday. They brought in Yuvraj Singh and Ishant Sharma in place of Robin Uthappa and Manpreet Gony.

However, India are without all-rounder Irfan Pathan for the second match in a row.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-29-2008/eng/6-29-2008_20016_l.gif



KARACHI: India registered an easy seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh after chasing a big target of 284 runs with 40 balls remaining in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup here on Saturday at the National Stadium.

They achieved the target for the loss of only three wickets after Suresh Raina hammered a magnificent century, his second in the tournament. He remained unbeaten on 116, scored off 107 balls with three sixes and 11 fours with Yuvraj Singh 36 not out with the help of two sixes and two fours.

Raina was involved in two big partnerships – 139 runs for the third wicket with opener Gautam Gambhir and 89 for the unbeaten fourth wicket stand with Yuvraj.

Gambhir was unfortunate to miss his hundred by ten runs. He hit ten fours and one six in 84 balls.

For Bangladesh, pacer Shahadat Hossain claimed two wickets while Farhad Raza took one wicket.

Earlier Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful won the toss and decided to bat after which his batsmen displayed superb batting against cricket giants India, posting 283 for six in the allotted 50 overs.

This was their fifth highest total in One-day International cricket and the biggest score against India, eclipsing the previous total of 257-9 at Dhaka in 2004-05.

Bangladesh piled up this huge score due to magnificent batting by Alok Kapali, who hammered 115 runs from 96 balls with five towering sixes and ten boundaries.

His maiden ODI century is also the first by any Bangladeshi batsman against India.

He added 112 runs with Mahmudulla for the sixth wicket partnership, which is also an Asia Cup record for this wicket. The previous record was 103, set by Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillekeratne Dilshan also against India, at Colombo in 2004.

Earlier, opening batsman Tahim Iqbal made a fine fifty (55 with seven fours) while other main scorers were Mahmudullah (26 not out), Raqibul Hasan (25), Mushfiqur Rahim (22) and Ashraful (20).

For India, debutant left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and right-arm medium-pacer Manpreet Gony claimed two wickets each while RP Singh and Ishant Sharma took one wicket each.

India, who won both their matches in the first round, rested fast bowler Praveen Kumar, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and opener Virendar Sehwag and brought in Robin Uthappa, Manpreet Gony and Pragyan Ojha.

Bangladesh, who lost to Sri Lanka but won against the United Arab Emirates in round one, brought in all-rounder Farhad Reza in place of Dolar Mahmud as the only change from the line-up of their last match.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, wk), Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Pragyan Ojha, Manpreet Gony, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ishant Sharma.

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Mashrafe Mortaza, Nazimuddin, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, Abdur Razzak, Farhad Reza, Raqibul Hasan,
Shahadat Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Alok Kapali.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-30-2008/eng/6-30-2008_20043_l.gif



KARACHI: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 64 runs in the super league stage of the ninth Asia Cup one-day tournament at the National Stadium, Karachi on Sunday. Kumar Sangakkara hit a fighting hundred and spinner Ajanta Mendis took four wickets to power Sri Lanka to a 64-run win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup Super League clash here on Sunday.

The left-hander scored 112 to lift Sri Lanka to 302-7 after Pakistani paceman Sohail Tanveer notched up career-best figures of 5-48.

Mendis, who took 4-47, then unleashed his quality spin to restrict Pakistan to 238-9 in 50 overs on a slow National Stadium pitch.

For Pakistan, Misbah-ul Haq enjoyed a late flurry, smashing four sixes and three fours during his 70-ball 76 but by then the asking rate of 15 an over was beyond Pakistan's reach.

Skipper Shoaib Malik also hit a subdued 52 off 79 balls with three boundaries but the Pakistani batsmen could not cope with the accurate Sri Lankan bowling.

Sri Lanka, who qualified for the Super League stage with two carry over points, boosted their chances of reaching the July 6 final with the victory. They now have four points and take on Bangladesh on Monday.

The defeat left Pakistan all but out of the event. They now have to win both their matches against India (Wednesday) and Bangladesh (Friday) and hope India also lose to Sri Lanka to have a chance of qualifying for the final.

[Nadeem]

http://geo.tv/6-30-2008/eng/6-30-2008_20103_l.gif



KARACHI: Muttiah Muralitharan spun out Bangladesh to get Sri Lanka an easy 158-run victory in the Super-4 match of the ninth Asia Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday.

Chasing an improbable target of 333 runs, Bangladesh could not resist the guiles of the magician off-spinner and were all out for 174 runs in 38.3 overs.

Muralitharan finished five for 31 runs in 10 overs with one over maiden. This was his ninth five-wicket haul in his 309th One-day International.

The main scorers for Bangladesh were Raqibul Hasan (52) and Nazimuddin (47) while among others, only captain Mohammad Ashraful could enter into double-figures.

Earlier, Sanath Jayasuriya celebrated his 39th birthday with a spectacular century while Kumar Sangakkara also hit a hundred as Sri Lanka piled up a mammoth 332-8.

Jayasuriya hit an 88-ball 130 and Sangakkara notched 121 for his third century in the tournament as the duo punished a hapless Bangladesh during their 201-run opening stand in the Super League match at National Stadium.

Jayasuriya was ruthless from the outset, hitting shots with power and precision. He took just 31 balls to reach his half-century.

He continued in the same vein to reach his 26th one-day hundred off 55 balls -- the sixth-fastest hundred in one-day cricket -- with 14 boundaries and five sixes.

Jayasuriya became the second oldest batsman to score a one-day hundred behind England's Geoff Boycott who made a century against Australia at Sydney in 1979 when he was 39 years and 51 days old.

Jayasuriya miscued a drive off leg-spinner Alok Kapali and was caught in the 28th over. In all he hit 16 boundaries and six sixes during his devastating knock.

Sangakkara was steadier as he batted around Jayasuriya and took runs when ever he got the opportunity. He reached his hundred off 117 balls before he was bowled by left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak in the 44th over.

The 30-year-old left-hander hit 16 boundaries and a six off 128 balls.

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 64 runs in the opening match of the Super League on Sunday. India, the fourth team in the second round, beat Bangladesh on Saturday.

The top two teams from the Super League will compete in the July 6 final.

[Nadeem]

India beat SL to play them again in final, Pakistan out


http://geo.tv/7-4-2008/eng/7-4-2008_20260_l.gif



KARACHI: India easily achieved a seemingly difficult target of 309 runs against Sri Lanka to qualify for the final of the ninth Asia Cup here at the National Stadium on Thursday.

With winning this match by India, hosts Pakistan’s chances of reaching the final have ended. However, they will play their last match of the Super-4 on Friday against Bangladesh who were already out of this race.

India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets with 19 balls to spare.

All of their batsmen who came at the crease made significant scores: Gautam Gambhir (68 off 61 balls, 11 fours), captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni (67 off 62 balls, five fours, one six), Suresh Raina (54 off 66 balls), Virender Sehwag (42 off 34 balls, six fours, one six), Yuvraj Singh (36 not out from 31 balls, three fours, one six) and Rohit Sharma (22 not out from 28 balls).

For Sri Lanka, off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed two wickets and Kulasekera took one wicket.

Earlier after winning the toss, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene decided to bat first and his batsmen hammered 308 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs.

Chamara Kapugedera top scored with 75 runs off 78 balls. He hit seven fours and one six. During the innings, he was involved two valuable partnerships – 78 runs with his captain Mahela Jayawardene for third wicket and 68 with Chamara Silva for fourth wicket.

Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya also made a significant contribution, scoring 43 off 37 balls with eight boundaries.

Right-arm fast bowler Ishant Sharma was the most successful bowler from India, taking two wickets for 55 runs while other wicket-takers were RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and Pragyan Ojha. They all took one wicket each.

Sri Lanka made two changes to their line-up, dropping Chaminda Vaas and Ajantha Mendis for Dilhara Fernando and Kaushalya Weeraratne.

India also made two changes: they dropped Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla and brought in RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha.

Teams:
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Chamara Kapugedera, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, wk), Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma.