India Vs Pakistan: T20 Cricket Series Drawn As Yuvraj Wins Ahmedabad Match For India!

If Pakistan is winning India cannot be far behind! And vice versa! Whatever one of these two great competitive neighbors do the other can hardly accept and instead of reciprocation they prefer to retaliate! In politics non-acceptance translates shamelessly into denial, and in cricket defeat translates seamlessly into victory. Of course, Pakistan won the toss both the times and chased both the times…maybe that was unavoidable. But after Pakistan won the first T20 international cricket match in Bangalore India was in grave national danger of losing the Series and facing the music. That too…after five long years and being the benevolent hosts. Therefore India had to retaliate or rather deny Pakistan another victory. India won the second and last T20 international in Ahmedabad tonight defeating a valiant Pakistan by 11 runs thus sharing the honors equally with the Series drawn 1-1. 

Player of the Match Yuvraj Singh has delivered a tremendous match winning performance bringing back his past glory so emphatically. Put into bat India made a rousing start with openers piling up 44 runs in less than five overs. But when Gambhir got out at the team score at 44 followed by Rahane at 53 and Virat Kohli falling to a run out at 88/3 in 12 overs the familiar Indian story was unfolding again. But Yuvraj Singh had different ideas this time around. With a healthy run rate still maintained he blazed away to a stupendous 72 run knock in just 36 balls with 7 sixes and 4 fours. Skipper Dhoni (33 not out) gave him solid support and India reached a commanding total of 192/5 in allotted 20 overs. Though hit initially Umar Gul was brilliant again capturing four wickets—the only wicket taker for Pakistan.

Pakistan gave a fitting reply with openers Jamshed and Shehzad piling up 74 runs in about 10 overs when Ashwin made the first breakthrough. Yuvraj made it 84/2 the next over. Player of the Series Hafeez (55 not out) laid anchors for another crucial partnership with Umar Akmal. When Pakistan reached 146 in 16 overs looking set for an improbable victory the wickets started tumbling. The climbing asking rate and an accurate Dinda contributed largely to the slide. Finally the total of 192 proved too much for Pakistan and they folded up for 181/7 in allotted 20 overs. Continuing with his lapses behind the wicket captain Dhoni managed to save the T20 Cricket Series for now though. With the twists and turns part and parcel of the classic encounters between the two and the vice-versa factor added as a topping the three-match One-Day International Cricket Series that kicks off in Chennai on 30^thDecember does not pretend to be but is indeed a mouth watering prospect. The Scorecard:

Delhi Gangrape Victim Shifted And Admitted In Singapore!

The Government of India decided at its highest level to shift the 23 year old girl battling for life for the last eleven days out of India for better treatment. Accordingly late last night she was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi and taken to Singapore by an air ambulance. She was accompanied by the doctor in charge. Few hours later she was admitted in Mount Elizabeth Hospital. The decision was taken because the girl continued to be critical after undergoing three abdominal surgeries and suffering two cardiac arrests. Her doctors reportedly consulted physicians and surgeons the world over and decided on Singapore as it was much nearer and that Mount Elizabeth Hospital is famous for advanced facilities and multi-organ transplants.

The doctors in Singapore today described the girl’s condition as extremely critical and she is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the hospital. A multidisciplinary team of doctors has been taking all possible measures to stabilize her condition. The whole of India has been praying for her recovery. We appeal to all to join in the prayers. The girl must survive and inspire the Young India Movement for Change to go on fighting till the brutes are punished, strongest laws for rape are passed and the safety for women is fully ensured. The juvenile laws also urgently need to be changed, because a ‘minor’ (under 18) capable of committing the most brutal assault on a woman must be condemned as the worst criminal and must never be considered on his age. The teen monsters must be stopped at any cost as they form an integral part of the Subhuman Fiendish Horde. 

Meanwhile, the Young India Movement for Change picked up again today in Delhi defying prohibitory orders. Hundreds of protestors marched from South Delhi towards India Gate, but the police blocked them midway. The mystery over the death of the police constable, Subhas Chand Tomar, continued with multiple versions available about what happened last Sunday. While some eyewitnesses maintain that he collapsed chasing the protestors, Delhi police claimed that he was killed as the post mortem reports revealed that Tomar was beaten up before his cardiac arrest.

T20 Cricket: Pakistan Beat India By Five Wickets In Bangalore!

Finally, cricket between the arch-rivals, India Vs Pakistan, gets a new lease of life with start of the international bilateral Cricket Series in Bangalore on December 25, 2012. Finally, Pakistan arrives in India and plays its first match against India after five years. And, a team not playing international cricket for more than two months beats a team that has been playing cricket, cricket and cricket both on field and off the field. Pakistan beat India by five wickets in the first T20 match played in Bangalore last night.

Although the match looked to be in Pakistan’s favor for most part of the game the usual pressure, tension and twists and turns associated with any cricketing encounter between the archrivals were there too. Pakistan won the toss and put India in. India looked to be in perfect command cruising to 77 for no loss in under 11 overs with a strong batting line to follow, but thanks to super bowling by Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal Pakistan engineered a major Indian collapse with the latter losing 9 wickets for just 47 runs.  There was not a single half century in the Indian innings with Gambhir and Rahane scoring 43 and 42 runs respectively. The Indian total of 133 runs looked immensely gettable.

Again, it was not a smooth ride for Pakistan. New entrant Bhuvneshwar Kumar put them on the backfoot taking three quick wickets and reduced Pakistan to 12 for 3 in 3 overs. But then, the player of the match skipper Mohammad Hafeez (61) and Shoaib Malik (57 not out) steadied the innings. The progress was slow, but considering the modest total Pakistan was on course. Whatever, you cannot take an India-Pakistan cricket match for granted. With just 16 runs to win in almost 3 overs and 7 wickets remaining Pakistan had a hiccup losing two quick wickets and the asking rate suddenly climbed up.  With the wicket advantage still behind Pakistan finally romped home with two balls to spare. The Scorecard:

The second and the last T20 international will be played on Friday the 28^th of December in Ahmedabad (the match was postponed by a day due to a local issue). The One Day International Series will start on 30^thDecember with first match in Chennai. The second ODI will be played on January 3, 2013 in Kolkata and the last ODI coming up on January 6 in Delhi. As Pakistan goes back home after than England comes back to play the ODI Series against India.