India might have lost the series against Pakistan. But that one last match of the series got back the hope and lifted the spirit.
After the home test series lost against England and home ODI series against Pakistan. Team India was really looking for something to get back. So as the Third and the last ODI against Pakistan, played at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi with the cold climate being a factor, India won the Toss and decided to Bat, dropping Sehwag this time for the Third ODI and Rahane was his replacement. Even this time the top order failed to provide the team with runs. Indian top order did find difficult to face Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan, the pace bowlers who has been troubling the Indian batsmen throughout this series. With the Top three failing to get big scores, Yuvi started off well hitting 18 runs of Umar Gul's over but he was not able to continue. Losing his wicket to Hafeez for 23. Once again in the hands of Raina and Dhoni, Raina has been so patient throughout the series batting along with dhoni and building partnership with MSD. Raina and Dhoni added 48 for the 5th wicket before Raina got out for a patient 31 and India was really struggling losing 5 wickets for just 111 runs with lot of overs left behind, Dhoni needed someone to stay along with him till the end, Dhoni was in great form this series a 100 and 50 to his name and unbeaten on both the occasion. Ashwin too lost his wicket without scoring and Jaddu who has been in and out of the team, was the only recognized batsmen to bat along with Dhoni. The captain who has been playing so well just lost his wicket to an out side off delivery from Umar Gul. Jadeja was the only hope for the Indians and the only thing the batting team required was to bat throughout the Innings, but Indians just managed to bat 43.4 overs and were all out for 167 and Jadeja making a valuable contribution of 27 runs down the order was the last man to get out. Ajmal picked 5 wickets for 24 and Pakistan needed 168 to win and every one thought this series would have thought this would be a white wash.
But the Indian bowlers did well to defend this low score and Indian fielding this match was top class. The Pakistani batsmen just managed to score 157, ten runs short of what India scored and the Debutant Shami Ahmed was brilliant with the ball, 9 overs 4 maidens 23 runs and a wicket and Ravindra Jadeja was equally brilliant, 10 overs and Just 19 runs and a wicket, Ishant Sharma took three for 36 and Ashwin 2 for 47 in his ten. Bhuvneshwar Kumar who gave a promising start to his career picked up 2 for for 31. Dhoni was adjudged as the Man of the match, said it should have been given to the Indian fielding for successfully defending this low score.
After the home test series lost against England and home ODI series against Pakistan. Team India was really looking for something to get back. So as the Third and the last ODI against Pakistan, played at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi with the cold climate being a factor, India won the Toss and decided to Bat, dropping Sehwag this time for the Third ODI and Rahane was his replacement. Even this time the top order failed to provide the team with runs. Indian top order did find difficult to face Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan, the pace bowlers who has been troubling the Indian batsmen throughout this series. With the Top three failing to get big scores, Yuvi started off well hitting 18 runs of Umar Gul's over but he was not able to continue. Losing his wicket to Hafeez for 23. Once again in the hands of Raina and Dhoni, Raina has been so patient throughout the series batting along with dhoni and building partnership with MSD. Raina and Dhoni added 48 for the 5th wicket before Raina got out for a patient 31 and India was really struggling losing 5 wickets for just 111 runs with lot of overs left behind, Dhoni needed someone to stay along with him till the end, Dhoni was in great form this series a 100 and 50 to his name and unbeaten on both the occasion. Ashwin too lost his wicket without scoring and Jaddu who has been in and out of the team, was the only recognized batsmen to bat along with Dhoni. The captain who has been playing so well just lost his wicket to an out side off delivery from Umar Gul. Jadeja was the only hope for the Indians and the only thing the batting team required was to bat throughout the Innings, but Indians just managed to bat 43.4 overs and were all out for 167 and Jadeja making a valuable contribution of 27 runs down the order was the last man to get out. Ajmal picked 5 wickets for 24 and Pakistan needed 168 to win and every one thought this series would have thought this would be a white wash.
But the Indian bowlers did well to defend this low score and Indian fielding this match was top class. The Pakistani batsmen just managed to score 157, ten runs short of what India scored and the Debutant Shami Ahmed was brilliant with the ball, 9 overs 4 maidens 23 runs and a wicket and Ravindra Jadeja was equally brilliant, 10 overs and Just 19 runs and a wicket, Ishant Sharma took three for 36 and Ashwin 2 for 47 in his ten. Bhuvneshwar Kumar who gave a promising start to his career picked up 2 for for 31. Dhoni was adjudged as the Man of the match, said it should have been given to the Indian fielding for successfully defending this low score.
