A study finds that that seven out of 10 Tunisians aged between 18 and 29 wish to emigrate
mena49 minutes ago
The 1983 champions posted 260-9 and then returned to bowl out their neighbours for 231 in 49.5 overs to spark jubilant celebrations at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
Opting to bat first, India got off to a rollicking start and Sachin Tendulkar (85) got a series of let-offs as well but Wahab Riaz’s (5-46) five-wicket haul restricted the co-hosts to a rather modest total.
Pakistan got off to a decent start too but losing wickets at regular intervals denied them any significant partnerships and batsmen such as Mohammad Hafeez (43) and Asad Shafiq (30) were guilty of throwing away their wickets at the most inopportune time.
Misbah-ul-Haq (56) offered some late resistance but the moment he heaved the ball high into the air, only to see it fall into Virat Kohli’s hands, a deafening roar shook the 28,000-seater stadium and could be heard all over the country.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was attending the match with his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani, was seen applauding the men in blue while Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi punched the air in delight after watching the closing stages of the match in the midst of the crowd.
For India, Yuvraj Singh (2-57) made amends for his batting failure, while Harbhajan Singh (2-43), Ashish Nehra (2-33), Zaheer Khan (2-58) and Munaf Patel (2-40) also shone with the ball.
Earlier, India’s pace spearhead Zaheer sent down an uncharacteristically ordinary first spell and with Hafeez and Kamran Akmal (19) regularly finding the boundaries, Pakistan began their pursuit in earnest.
Zaheer returned to remove Akmal but Hafeez and Shafiq maintained the good work until Yuvraj decided to make amends for his first ball duck at his home ground.
The local favourite removed Shafiq and Younus Khan in successive overs to change the match’s complexion and his bowling colleagues drove home the advantage.
Like most of his team mates, Umar Akmal (29) got the start too but could not convert and whatever hopes Pakistan had was dashed when Shahid Afridi made a mess of a Harbhajan Singh full toss.
There was considerable pressure on the players from both sides and the presence of the two prime ministers hardly helped their cause in a match that forced a virtual lockdown in this tiny north Indian town.
Pakistan looked particularly overwhelmed by the hype around the high-octane match and the ‘cricket diplomacy’ surrounding it as they dished out a sloppy fielding display of which Tendulkar was the main beneficiary.
After India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had opted to bat first, openers Virender Sehwag (38) tore apart the Pakistani attack during a 25-ball cameo.
Riaz brought some relief in the Pakistan camp, removing the swashbuckling opener for the first of his five victims but not before his sloppy team mates gave a poor account of themselves on the field.
Misbah, Younus Khan and Umar Akmal dropped Tendulkar at different stages of the Indian’s innings, while stumper Kamran Akmal also missed a half-chance.
Afridi, also the hapless bowler on three of those four occasions, could only hold his head in dismay as his team mate squandered opportunity after opportunity.
Afridi eventually took the catch to remove Tendulkar, who had earlier used a review to successful overturn an lbw decision that had gone against him, who fell 15 run short of his 100th international century.
A study finds that that seven out of 10 Tunisians aged between 18 and 29 wish to emigrate
mena49 minutes ago
French PM Barnier says the tragedy highlights the need to fight relentlessly against the networks of traffickers
europe1 hour ago
The resignation comes after the media reported tensions at the top of the government between Gray and several political advisers, and revealed that her salary was higher than Starmer's
world1 hour ago
The leader was received by the Jordanian King, Crown Prince of Jordan, and a number of senior officials
uae1 hour ago
Army personnel, using boats and helicopters, have joined rescue efforts, delivering emergency supplies and evacuating those trapped
asia1 hour ago
UK PM cautions that 'a better future will not be won by traumatising, orphaning and displacing another generation'
europe1 hour ago
The figure is the highest single-day number of migrants making the cross-Channel journey this year, surpassing the previous high of 882 set on June 18
world1 hour ago
Expat on making wise professional choices that lead to financial gains
lifestyle1 hour ago