India win first ODI by 5 wickets

India have strolled to a five wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan today to go one up after the first match of the five game ODI series.

Pakistan lost the match despite the valiant efforts of Mohammad Yousuf who scored 83 in Pakistan’s 7-239 from their fifty overs.

After winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat and despite getting off to a brisk start, were unable to force the pace for the majority of the innings.

Kamran Akmal was the first man out for a slow 30 ball 12 when Irfan Pathan had him trapped LBW at the 10 over mark.

Salman Butt looked threatening but was unluckily run out after having passed his half century milestone.

It was then up to Yousuf to hold the fort as he had done so many times before as his fellow players fell around him.

Harbhajan Singh had Khan out for 25 for 68 in an innings that really placed the pressure on the other batsmen whilst looking quite out of touch himself.

Tendulkar out foxed Afridi with a stumping whilst looking to play the big shit, out for an almost run a ball 31. Malik made just two runs before Tendulkar struck again to have him caught at deep midwicket and Misbah-ul-Haq made a handy 27 to take the Pakistan score to just under 240 from their allocated overs.

Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik both did a splendid job of keeping the run rate down and even though they took one wicket between them, their suffocation of the Pakistani batsmen really turned the game on its head.

240 was never going to be enough for Pakistan to defend though and despite losing some early wickets, India never looked troubled.

Tendulkar was out for four in the third over, but was the only Indian batsman to not reach double figures.

Fellow opener Sourav Ganguly made a calm 39 off 55 before being run-out, again, after a mix up with Gambhir. Ganguly was unable to capitalise on being dropped just a couple of over before, by no means the first Pakistan blunder in the field for the innings. The man involved in the run-out, Shahid Afridi, managed to bowl Gambhir for 44 not long afterwards, India still well ahead at this stage.

MS Dhoni was promoted up the order in a move the paid dividends as the Indian captain and Yuvraj Singh set about picking off the remaining runs.

Yuvraj bought up his 50 with five fours and a six on his way to 58 before being caught on the boundary, attempting to clear it, ending the valuable 105 run partnership.

Dhoni bought up his half century and was out for 63 only a couple of deliveries after his partner, but it mattered little to India, who were well home with Uthappa and Pathan sealing the deal.

India will be very delighted with their efforts with both bat and ball and take a handy 1-0 in the series. Pakistan must figure out the right batting combinations and strategies to put up imposing totals on the board, something they have not been doing of late.

Pakistan 7-239
Mohammad Yousuf 83, Salman Butt 50
Sachin Tendulkar 2-33, Harbhajan Singh 1-29

India 5-242
MS Dhoni 63, Yuvraj Singh 58
Shoaib Akhtar 2-52, Shahid Afridi 1-34

India won by five wickets