Anwar’s World Record, India Lose by 35 Runs
CHENNAI (MADRAS): Pakistanr Saeed Anwar plundered 194, the highest individual score in one-day internationals, against India in the Independence Cup, May 21 and that proved too good for India who lost by 35 runs.
Anwar powered Pakistan to 327 for five in the last preliminary match of the four-nation tournament -- a target which proved well beyond India’s reach despite a fine century by Rahul Dravid.
India were bowled out for 292 in 49.2 overs and Pakistan qualified for the three-match final against World Champions Sri Lanka.
Left-handed Anwar beat the previous world record of 189 by former West Indies Captain Viv Richards against England at Old Trafford in 1984.
Anwar hit 22 fours and five sixes as he made his runs off 147 balls. He hammered 26 runs in one over from leg-spinner Anil Kumble, including three sixes.
His whirlwind century ended when he was caught by Saurav Ganguly off Indian Skipper Sachin Tendulkar when going for a big hit towards the end of the innings.
India’s hopes of matching Pakistan’s imposing score were quickly undermined when Tendulkar was caught at slip off Aaqib Javed in the third over of their reply.
However, the innings gathered momentum first with a 52-run second wicket stand between Dravid and Saurav Ganguly and then a partnership of 134 between Dravid and Vinod Kambli.
Both fell in a desperate bid to keep the run rate rising, Kambli for 65 and Dravid for 107 scored off 116 balls with 10 fours.
In Pakistan’s innings the majestic Anwar gave a rollicking start making light of the early dismissal of explosive fellow-r Shahid Afridi, the fastest century maker, after Skipper Ramiz Raja elected to bat on a firm pitch.
The 28-year-old set upon the lackluster attack in the middle overs with majestic shots to crack his 12th one-day century in his 120th match on his way to surpassing Viv Richard’s best of 189.
At the crease for 206 minutes, most part of it with acute cramps which saw Afridi act as runner, he blasted 22 boundaries and five exquisitely timed sixes in reaching 194 as India were set an asking rate of 6.56 to win.
But Anwar fell six short of what would have been a richly deserved and first double century in the shorter version of the game when his mistimed pull-flick off Skipper Tendulkar was taken by Ganguly at fine leg in the slog.
Anwar shared three invaluable stands, 89-run for the second wicket with Ramiz Raja (22) and 126 for the third with Ijaz Ahmed (39) and Inzamam ul Haq (39 not out) also chipped in Pakistan’s highest total against India.
The Pakistan batsmen who flayed the Indian attack from the word go had posted a potentially winning tally.
There has been only one instance of a chasing team making over 300, Sri Lanka scoring 313 for seven in 49.2 overs to beat Zimbabwe at New Plymouth in the 1991-92 World Cup.
At one stage only medium-pacer Abey Kuruvilla, who removed Afridi for just five, was the lone Indian bowler to keep his figures at a reasonable way. But Inzamam-ul Haq played the role of a spoiler by hitting him for five fours in two overs.
Tendulkar was the most successful claiming two wickets for a costly 61 in nine overs. Kuruvilla returned one for 50 off 10 overs with Robin Singh and Anil Kumble claiming one wicket apiece.
After Kuruvilla struck an early blow in his very first over getting rid of Afridi (5), caught by Saurav Ganguly at mid-on while mistiming an on-the-rise shot, the Indian camp looked to be in a rejoicing mood.
Then on, Captain Rameez Raja proved to be a good ally for Anwar, giving ther most of the strike.
Anwar looked to be totally weary due to excessive humid conditions but never relented from his attacking and aggressive game. He exhibited his authority on the leg side elegantly. Almost all his boundaries and sixes were on the mid wicket region.
The total of 327 for five was Pakistan’s third best after 338/5 vs Sri Lanka at Swansea (1983) and 330 for 6 (both 60 overs) vs Sri Lanka at Nottingham (1975). (Reuter, PTI)
Score Board
Pakistan
S.Anwar c Ganguly b Tendulkar 194
S.Afridi c Ganguly b Kuruvilla 5
R.Raja b Singh 22
I.Ahmed lbw Kumble 39
Inzamam-ul-Haq not out 39
M.Khan b Tendulkar 9
M.Hussain not out 7
Extras (b-1 lb-8 w-
Total (for five wickets) 327
Did not bat: S.Malik, A.Mahmood, S.Mushtaq, A.Javed.
Fall of wickets:
Bowling: Prasad w), Kuruvilla 10-2-50-1, Kumble
w), Joshi 4-0-36-0, Tendulkar 9-0-61-2, Singh
9-0-50-1
India
S.Tendulkar c Haq b Javed 4
S.Ganguly c Mushtaq b Javed 33
R.Dravid c Afridi v Javed 107
V.Kambli c Ijaz Ahmed b Hussain 65
A.Jadeja c sub Wasim b Malik 4
R.Singh run out 35
N.Mongia not out 23
S.Joshi c M.Khan b Javed 2
A.Kumble c & b Mushtaq 0
A.Kuruvilla c Hussain b Javed 1
V.Prasad c M.Khan b Mushtaq 2
Extras (lb-7 w-8 nb-
Total 292
Fall of wickets:
9-284.
Bowling: A.Javed 10-0-61-5 (w-3, nb-1) A.Mahmood 4-0-24-0
(w-1) S.Mushtaq (w-2), Afridi 10-0-56-0 (w-1), Malik
6-0-46-1 (w-1), M.Hussain 10-0-52-1
Result: Pakistan won by 35 runs.
Man-of-the-Match: Saeed Anwar.
Top Scores in One-Dayers
194 - Saeed Anwar (Pakistan) vs India at Chennai (1997).
189 n.o - Viv Richards (West Indies) vs England at Manchester (1984).
188 n.o- Gary Kirsten (South Africa) vs UAE at Rawalpindi (1996).
181 - Viv Richards vs Sri Lanka at Karachi (1987-88).
175 n.o - Kapil Dev (India) vs Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells (1983).
171 n.o - Glenn Turner (New Zealand) vs East Africa at Birmingham (1975).
169 n.o - D Callaghan (South Africa) vs New Zealand at Verwoerdburg (1994-95).
167 not out - Robin Smith (England) vs Australia at Birmingham (1993).
158 - David Gower (England) vs New Zealand at Brisbane (1982-83).
153 n.o - Richards vs Australia at Melbourne (1979-80).
153 - Brian Lara (West Indies) vs Pakistan at Sharjah (1993-94).
152 n.o. - Desmond Haynes (West Indies) vs India at Georgetown (1988-89). (PTI)
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