India XI book a place in the final
Posted on Apr 13, 2008 at 21:43 | Updated Apr 13, 2008 at 23:40
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Tags: cricket, ipl, india xi
New Delhi: A fine half-century by Tejinder Pal Singh and a three-wicket haul by Ganapathi Vignesh helped ICL India XI register a 32-run victory over ICL Pakistan XI in their last league match and book a place in the final of Indian Cricket League Twenty20 World Series tournament at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.
With this win, India XI have six points from their four matches in the two-leg league with three wins and a loss.
While, Pakistan XI and World XI have identical two points each from three ties and the winner between them tomorrow will take on India XI in the final on April 15.
Put in to bat by Pakistan XI, the hosts posted a formidable total of 176-6 with T P Singh scoring a hurricane 32-ball 52, while skipper Ibrahim Khaleel adding another valuable 35 off 30 balls.
Chasing the big target, Pakistan XI managed to reach 144-6 in their alloted 20 overs, falling short by 32 runs.
Ganapathi Vignesh returned figures of 3-22 from his four overs, while Ghulam Murtaza took 2 for 22.
Pakistan XI got off to a flying start and were 40-1 in the third over itself but they soon lost the momentum, as Indian bowlers put pressure in the middle overs.
The required run-rate kept on mounting for Pakistanis and at the end it was a cake-walk for the local favourites.
Hasan Raza top-scored with 46 off 46 balls for the visitors. While, Abdul Razzaq (38) and Imran Farhat (32) failed
to convert their good starts.
Earlier, the Indian openers could not get off to their usual explosive start, with Ganapathi Vignesh falling cheaply for 6 runs in the second over. However, Ibrahim Khaleel continued with his good form.
Mohammad Sami & Riyaz Afridi troubled the Indian batsmen, especially Abhishek Jhunjhunwala but Khaleel kept rotating the strike to keep the hosts in hunt of a good total. He also completed his fifty in the meantime.
The Indian batsmen got into the groove and Khaleel and Jhunjhunwala shared a fine partnership bringing the 50 run-mark together in the ninth over.
Just when the young duo was taking the game away from the Pakistani side, Arshad Khan struck in the 10th over sending back the Khaleel for a well made 35.
Khan struck again to return Jhunjhunwala, who yet again failed to capitalize on a good start of 26 runs off 36 balls.
But T P Singh took on the mantle of the Indian batting machine taking them to 121-3 at the end of 15 overs, hence, setting a platform for the final onslaught in the able company of Abbas Ali.
The left-hand duo played superbly, while TP Singh's magnificent strokes entertained the packed LBS stadium. Singh brought on his fantastic fifty in only 30 balls, including 4 fours and two massive sixes.
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