Highlights India vs Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy 2017, cricket score and result: Kohli and Co win convincingly

Unless Pak cricket structure is totally revamped/reformed, despite an abundance of talent the gap between Pak & India will keep increasing

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 4, 2017

Pakistan captain, Sarfraz Ahmed: We were not upto the mark. We were in control upto 40 overs but we lost our way in the last few overs. I think we should try to control our bowling rate in the death overs.

Virat Kohli, India captain: We are right up there with the bat and the ball but not in the field. It was complete performance and took the momentum from the practice matches. We need tighten up our fielding though. All batsmen chipped in with runs. Shikhar and Rohit, last time we won here, the opening partnership was crucial. Rohit took some time going, but he’s coming back from an injury, and international cricket is different to IPL and domestic cricket.Yuvi was outstanding and I was feeling a club cricketer in front of him. And Hardik, 18 off five balls, was outstanding. (On the decision to play only one spinner) They play spin really well, and most of them are right handers. In pressure situations, to have mid-on, mid-off up and hit hard lengths, gives us an advantage. Against other sides, we might use two spinners, depending on their strengths.

Most consecutive victories in ICC Champions Trophy:

7 – West Indies 
7 – INDIA* 
5 – Australia

Most consecutive defeats in ICC Champions Trophy:

9 – Zimbabwe 
7 – Bangladesh 
6 – PAKISTAN*
5 – Kenya

After all those rain interruptions and uncertainties, India complete a thoroughly professional win, dominating with both bat and ball. With the bat, India went deep, a 72-run massacre in the last four overs getting the side well over where they wanted to be. With the ball, every one of the five regular bowlers bowled to their strengths and, barring Bumrah, the other four picked up wickets regularly to ensure that the word ‘chase’ was always a misnomer when used to describe the Pakistan innings. After the first Pakistan wicket fell, the match was pretty much a damp squib, with none of the electricity associated with India-Pak games.

For India, two points on the board, and equally importantly, a run rate of +3.02 putting them, for the moment, right on top of the table ahead of South Africa, which also has two points but a run rate of +1.92.

Seems a bit anal to be talking of run rates, but with the way rain has played spoilsport, there is always the possibility of a game or two being rained out and run rates entering the final calculations.

Most consecutive defeats in ICC Champions Trophy:

9 – Zimbabwe 
7 – Bangladesh 
6 – PAKISTAN*
5 – Kenya

Most wins for a team against an opposition in ICC events: 

12 – INDIA v PAKISTAN* 
11 – Australia v India 
11 – Australia v New Zealand 
11 – England v Sri Lanka 
11 – Pakistan v Sri Lanka 
11 – Sri Lanka v New Zealand 
11 – West Indies v Pakistan

Yuvraj Singh has been adjudged the Man of the Match for a blistering fifty late in the innings.

After 34 overs,Pakistan 164/9 ( Shadab Khan 14 , )

Umesh resumes. Amir works him on the on side for two, getting nicely behind the line of a short one. And then stays parked on his leg stump, has a swipe at a delivery angling across him to just outside off, gets the toe end of the bat to it, and Kedhar Jadhav at cover holds a sharp straight one cleanly, Pakistan eight down now.

And Umesh gets another. Makes one climb off the deck, Hasan Ali the new man, pushes defensively, gets it high on the bat and picks out Shikhar Dhawan at midwicket.

With Wahab Riaz injured, that is the end of the game, Pakistan folding for 164/9 in 33.4 overs, beaten by 125 runs, with 44 balls left in play.

India defeat Pakistan by 124 runs as Pakistan’s No 11 Wahab Riaz doesn’t come out to bat. He injured his foot in the first innings and went off the field during the first innings itself.

Here is Ayaz Memon’s analysis as India closed in on a comprehensive win…

OUT! Umesh strikes twice in one over. Hasan flicks it uppishly towards mid-wicket and Dhawan takes an easy catch.

OUT! Umesh Yadav takes his second wicket. Amir drives one straight to Kedar Jadhav at covers.

Ravindra Jadeja has taken 14 wickets in ICC Champions Trophy so far from six matches which is the second most by any left-arm spinner.

After 33 overs,Pakistan 162/7 ( Shadab Khan 14 , Mohammad Amir 7)

Very definite feel of everyone going through the motions now. Bumrah takes over from Jadeja, Amir pushes to short cover and runs anyway and yet again a direct throw fractionally misses the stumps with the batsman well short. Seriously, what is with Pakistan’s calling and running anyway? The great Inzy made this almost an art form, a comical one, but even by those standards what we are seeing today is incredibly inept.

Superb bouncer from Bumrah, ball three, surprising the batsman; Shadab swings and somehow connects though his eye was nowhere on the ball, gets one, there is a direct hit that has Bumrah all excited, but the batsman was well home. Single off his hips to Amir completes the over, Pak 161/7, the ask rate — for what it is worth — 15.6 and a power play called now.

After 32 overs,Pakistan 159/7 ( Shadab Khan 13 , Mohammad Amir 5)

Umesh takes over now that Hardik has bowled his quota of eight. Shadab on strike, and ball two, has a heave at Umesh, beaten by the pace, gets the top edge and oh good grief, Kedar Jadav at cover gets under the steepling delivery, positions himself nicely, and drops it to Umesh’s very evident bemusement.

They cross for that hit, and then Amir nicks a delivery slanting across him down to third man for one, getting it past Kohli at slip. Bouncer is the response, Amir ducks under it.To the next ball, manages to go up on his toes and play a lifting delivery down on the leg side, gets one.

Shadab tries to pull at a short ball climbing outside off, has to drag it around a long way, finds mid on. A direct throw hits the non-striker’s stumps, there is a bit of an appeal, but Amir was in.

When the opposition is more skilled than you, you should try to outsmart them & do the basics right instead Pakistan came into this match with no plan & next to zero application. Firstly the bowling changes made zero sense, then they dropped catches, then they showed no intent with the bat & ran like amateurs between the wickets. India are good enough to beat Pakistan even if Pakistan play to their full potential but Pakistan made sure there was no competition today.

After 31 overs,Pakistan 154/7 ( Shadab Khan 12 , Mohammad Amir 2)

Jadeja goes over the wicket to Amir, gives one to long off on the drive and reverts to round the wicket for the right handed Shadab who in his turn pushes one onto the off side. Back to over the wicket, with a slip for Amir who defends around his off stump, then pushes and looks for one but can’t beat point. He backs away a long way to leg to the last ball — Jadeja sees him go, and sends down a yorker outside his leg stump that goes under Amir’s slash. All three stumps were showing, at the time, plus a couple phantom stumps on either side, and the ball missed them all.

This is heading towards another massive defeat for Pakistan. They haven’t really been the threat they were  expected to be. Their fielding was a lot of rubbish while the bowling looked ordinary. They failed to get swing, seam, pace or spin and were belted around. The batting was expected to be a lot better. But despite indifferent fielding early on by India, Pakistan are no match. They have been left far behind in terms of skill and fitness. Question is, are they going the West Indies way?

Deep breaths ..count till 10 ...try to hold back your emotions .. know it's tough..this team needs a course correction and how...am angry 😡

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) June 4, 2017

After 30 overs,Pakistan 152/7 ( Shadab Khan 11 , Mohammad Amir 1)

Pandya, into his eighth over which should be his last, unless Virat Kohli decides to keep him on overtime and gives him a ninth — only one bowler can bowl nine overs given the truncated innings.

Ball two is fuller and angling in to the off stump, Sarfraz gets behind it and drives, Umesh Yadav at mid on runs across but doesn’t bend enough, lets it go to the fence and looks a tad sheepish about it.

A ball later, the fuller length, banged into the deck, climbs off length and Sarfraz, drawn into the push, foxed by the greater bounce, nicks off to Dhoni. Pakistan lose the 7th, and it is becoming a bit of a procession now.

Mohammed Amir the new man in, facing Pandya who has two scalps now. And Pandya greets him, second ball, with a sharp bouncer that flies over middle and has Amir ducking. Sends one down short and wide, angling across the left hander who slashes, through point for a single to the man sweeping. Ends the over, six runs and a wicket in it and in case it matters, the ask rate after that over is 13.4 per over.

OUT! Hardik gets a second reward for his disciplined bowling. Sarfraz looks to guide one to third man but edges it to Dhoni. The Pakistan captain falls for 15. Pakistan need 138 runs off 69 balls.

Pak kaput I'll risk saying though many overs still to be bowled. Not enough heft in batting or bowling to match India

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 4, 2017

After 29 overs,Pakistan 147/6 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 11 , Shadab Khan 11)

Jadeja to Shadab who, after that throw overshot the stumps, had completed the run anyway off the last ball of the previous over. Gets in a tangle to the first couple of balls, then decides enough is enough, goes down on his knee, gets the slog sweep going, and this time hits it clean, high, and hard, over the rope at wide long on. Follows it up by hopping back and getting some muscle into a drive off his hips through midwicket, splitting the field there and finding four. 10 in the over.

After 28 overs, Pakistan 136/6 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 11 , Shadab Khan 1)

Hardik Pandya getting an extended work out here. Makes sense — they now have the breathing space, and can give Hardik some confidence, some time and space to work things out considering he is playing his first global tournament and fills a pivotal all-rounder’s role. Pandya into his 7th over here. Imad Wasim the new man in faces him after Sarfaraz gets one to long on; the first ball he faces is back of a length, on line of off, the left handed Imam has a hit at it and picks out shor cover, Kedar Jadav, clean as a whistle. Six down now for Pak.

Shadab the new man in, facing Hardik who now has a wicket to go with his good fielding, catching and tidy bowling. On off, pushed on the off side, no run.

Last ball of the over, and Shadab tries to see if he can get himself run out. Plays straight to Rohit at cover and takes off, takes his own time to turn, isn’t in the frame when the throw comes in but it misses the stumps by a bit, so Shadab survives. For now. And you realise just what a miracle Jadeja is with his throws — ever known him to miss?

So let's maximise our very very limited resources; when the opposition is more skilled than u, u should outplan them & do the basics >>

— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) June 4, 2017

OUT! Pakistan falling apart and the result is quite evident now. India will win this unless something dramatic happens. Imad drives Hardik straight to covers. Kedar Jadhav catches it and Imad walks back for a golden duck.

After 27 overs,Pakistan 134/5 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 10 , Imad Wasim 0)

With no turn off this pitch, Jadeja has taken to bowling like a medium pacer bowling off a couple of steps. Fast, fullish, no width, no margin. The pressure tells, Hafeez tries a slog sweep and for the second time in this innings, Jadeja finds a batsman’s top edge to the fielder at backward square on the boundary. Pak now 5 down and pretty much out of this. Hafeez started off nicely, but got becalmed midway through hsi knock and couldn’t find any way out of jail for all his trying.

Sarfaraz crossed over when that hit was in the air, so on strike and driving Jadeja’s fourth ball through to long on, gets two. Tries a waltz next up down the track but Jadeja sees him, holds the length back and tucks him up. Single ends the over, Pakistan after 27, 134/5. In passing, India at this point were 147/1.

OUT! Jadeja seems to be everywhere today. Hafeez looks to sweep him over mid-wicket but fails. He gets the elevation but the connection wasn’t there. Bhuvneshwar catches him in the deep.

After 26 overs,Pakistan 131/4 ( Mohammad Hafeez 33 , Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 7)

Hardik Pandya comes back after that one relief over by Umesh. The first ball is punched to deep midwicket; the batsmen go for two and just beat Dhawan’s throw from the deep. Next ball, Hafeez pushes into the covers, and again the sight of Pakistan batsmen running and stuttering and running again, and getting damn near run out. Makes you wonder — don’t you practice calling and running? There’s been about half a dozen of these already in this innings.

Two twos at the start of the over, then singles as the two batsmen roll the strike over with pushes into the outfield. Pandya seems a touch flustered, bowls wide down leg and has to do-over. 7 in the over, which compares with the 10.4 Pak needs to be going at, at this point.

After 25 overs,Pakistan 123/4 ( Mohammad Hafeez 27 , Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 6)

Jadeja, and Sarfaraz does very well — goes low, front foot well down the track, checks the sweep and controls it, finding the angle to send it very fine to the fine leg boundary. A pushed single to the midwicket region next, and Hafeez back on strike.

Batsman steps back to leg, then forward to off to throw Jadeja off — the bowler keeps it on middle, punched wide of cover, gets one. Sarfaraz tries the sweep again, misses, thin inside edge onto his body. And the last ball of that over is full and quick, hurries Sarfraz on the defense, five in the over.

After 24 overs,Pakistan 117/4 ( Mohammad Hafeez 26 , Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 1)

Hardik off. Umesh back on, India looking to his extra pace to enforce some discipline just when Pak batsmen seem to be looking to break out of their shell.

Ring field, no run. Hafeez pulls the second ball, not short enough for the shot so he has to hit it from below his waist, gets one behind square.

And wicket, for who else but Jadeja. Malik pushes to behind point, Jadeja from point races around, fields, throws on the run and Malik, who was lucky to escape a run out the first ball he faced, is caught out of his ground by a direct throw.

Impossibly brilliant fielding, this. Jadeja was running to his left, or stronger side, but he was going at an angle away from the stumps. A regular fielder would have fielded, taken a step to align himself and then thrown — Jadeja throws with one foot in the air, an extension of his pick up, while completely off balance. And still hits the middle of middle.

Four wickets down, the experienced Shoaib Malik gone cheap, the asking rate 10 an over now, and the game now looking a tad one-way now. Umesh to Sarfaraz, who gets off the mark with one.

A quick ball outside off defeats a Hafeez slash, a bouncer on middle has the batsman swinging it around to fine leg, two ends the over. Four runs, the wicket of Malik, so after two overs of hitting by the Pak batsmen, order restored with the return of Umesh.

Hafeez first piled on the pressure on Azhar & got him out, now he has run Malik out. This has been a terrible performance from him. He was in the team to bowl a few overs, he didn’t do that & now he has done nothing to help Pakistan’s run chase.

OUT! Sensational bit of fielding from Ravindra Jadeja. Malik taps a Umesh length delivery towards point and looks for a single. However Hafeez refused the run. Jadeja rushed towards the ball, collected the ball and scored a direct hit at the striker’s end – all in one motion. Malik is miles outside the crease and the Indian players huddle around Jadeja to celebrate.

After 23 overs,Pakistan 113/3 ( Mohammad Hafeez 23 , Shoaib Malik 15)

Jadeja resumes. And Hafeez discovers a sense of purpose. Nice little waltz down the track to the second ball, gets side on to the ball and lofts it over extra cover, then follows it up with a pushed single to long off.

Malik plays one to point without piercing the field, then comes dancing down to the next one. Jadeja keeps it short, Malik can’t get to the pitch but he just goes through with the shot anyway, extending his arm into the loft, straight back over the bowler’s head and into the sight screen for six. Ball is gone under the covers, now dormant in front of the screen, so slight hold up in play.

Time enough to see replays of that shot — Malik had picked out his area, decided he was going to go, ignored the fact that he wasn’t to the pitch and trusted his arm to power the hit anyway.

Jadeja pushes the length up, hurries into Malik who tries to dab a single to third man, finds the backward point fielder instead. 11 in the over again, so that is 22 runs in two overs since Malik got to the middle.

Mr Sania Mirza is trying to get the Pak innings moving. Two boundaries off successive deliveries from Hardik reveals intent. But Hardik has bowled 5 good overs overall. Malik also slammed a huge six off Jadeja. Pak’s only chance is in going after Hardik and Jadeja. But they need to be lucky all the time for that to happen consistently. On the other hand. Pak look set to face another “maukha, maukha” moment in their matches against India. .

After 22 overs,Pakistan 102/3 ( Mohammad Hafeez 18 , Shoaib Malik 9)

Shoaib Malik the new man in, damn near runs himself out first ball, the last of Jadeja’s over — drives to cover, takes off, turns with all the ponderous dignity of the Titanic when he is sent back, and is lucky the direct throw from cover doesn’t hit.

Hardik resumes. Why not — the man is bowling like a metronome, and Pakistan is yet to find a way out of the jail he has shut them in. And there you go — Hardik went the whole of the previous over without a bouncer; here he pulls a good one out with just his second ball — the sort of thing that keeps batsmen from pre-judging him and giving him tap. 

Errs with the next ball though — too full and too wide, Malik reaches for it and square drives the four, then to the next ball moves towards his off stump to change the line, takes it off his hips and glances fine for a second successive boundary.

Short and wide again, outside off and Malik smacks him behind point, gets one. Pandya for once bowling several different lines and lengths, and it shows in the runs he has leaked in this over after four tight ones. Wide of off, Hafeez walks into it, drives, thick outer edge and the ball flies down to third man, single ends the over, 11 in it makes this the most expensive over bowled by the Indians thus far.

Shoaib Malik’s batting average of 49.51 against India in ODIs is the second best among all the players who have scored atleast 1500 runs against them in ODIs.

We have a game now. Pakistan should have been 125/2 to be at par after 20.#IndvPak #CT17

— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) June 4, 2017

Azhar Ali brought up his 50, getting dismissed right after, but Pakistan are miles behind the required rate. Hafeez is playing a baffling innings, lack of intent & lack of ideas. This is absolutely criminal from Hafeez, scoring at a strikerate of 60 when the required rate is above 9. Pakistan are in dire straits, batting to follow is decent but there isn’t enough firepower to launch an assault. If India lose from here, they will be supremely disappointed.

After 21 overs,Pakistan 91/3 ( Mohammad Hafeez 16 , Shoaib Malik 0)

With 20 overs gone, we now have a game even if Noah’s downpour breaks out next minute. Jadeja continues, and Hafeez works the first ball off his pads through square leg, for one. Azhar tries to come forward, Jadeja — who pauses for that one instant to read the batsman before releasing the ball — promptly drags it down short and foils the charge.

Pushes, drives, slog sweeps — all they get for it is singles, and finally Azhar tries the slog sweep again, Jadeja has pulled that length back a bit, the resulting higher bounce finds the top edge, Hardik Pandya at deep backward square doesn’t have to move to catch that.

Good hand by Azhar, 50 off 65, but once Shehzad left, the wind seemed to to out of his sails as well, and he’s spent the last part of his innings pottering around to very little effect.

OUT! Pakistan finally go for a shot and a wicket falls. Azhar Ali sweeps but only manages a top edge towards square leg and Hardik Pandya takes it easily. Jadeja gets his first wicket. Shoaib Malik is the new man in.

FIFTY! Azhar Ali gets to the milestone with a single. It is his 10th half century.

After 20 overs,Pakistan 88/2 ( Azhar Ali 49 , Mohammad Hafeez 14)

Hardik Pandya into his 4th. No change in plan for the Indian all-rounder — just back of good length or on length, bang on line of off. Seemingly predictable, but neither batsman able to make any kind of headway against this stuff. They are staying parked in their crease, and that is likely because Hardik uses that bouncer well, sharp enough to put the doubt in the batsman’s mind and keep him from coming forward to the bowler.

The one time in this over Hardik changes his line and bowls middle and leg, Hafeez seems surprised, saw it late, swung anyway, missed and took it in the tummy.

This really is a spectacle — Hardik is bowling the same ball over and over and the batsmen are trying everything they know, but can’t seem to get it off the square. just a single in that over, believe it or not — off the last ball, with a push to long on.

Unbelievably indifferent fielding by India. Normally dependable fielders Bhuvi, Yuvraj, Kedar Jadhav are making silly mistakes and easing pressure off Pakistan. India need to lift the level of their fielding to ensure that Pak fight for every run. That’s not happening at this point of time. Bowlers though have kept it tight. But they need the fielders to step up.

Surprising to see the way Bhuvi is fielding. He is usually a safe fielder. But today he has goofed up with ground fielding and catching. That catch he spilled at long on would have given Hardik Pandya his first CT wicket. He has to wait a while longer now. India must tighten their fielding. Pressure could play tricks later in the game

After 19 overs,Pakistan 87/2 ( Azhar Ali 49 , Mohammad Hafeez 13)

Jadeja begins with a rare error, dragging the ball down short; it sits up and Hafeez smacks it through square leg for four. The next ball is pushed on the off side and this time Virat Kohli misfields — gives the single where there was none, from his position at shortish cover. A bit shoddy, the normally reliable Indian fielding.

Jadeja straightens one on the stumps, quick through the air, full in length. Hits a zahar on the pad, another huge appeal, not given, possible for marginal drift down the leg side, and again the Indians chose not to review.

Just that four off the half-tracker first ball and one single, Jadeja races through another tidy over.

After 18 overs,Pakistan 82/2 ( Azhar Ali 49 , Mohammad Hafeez 8)

Hardik continues, with Hafeez facing. Tried a couple of dot balls the last over, one was wide, the rebowled version went for four on the ramp to third man, so Hardik goes back to the good length. An inner edge on the drive gets Hafeez a single on the on side.

The field is now spread around the ring, not drawn up close. Both batsmen however struggling to find timing and power on their pushes. Hardik slips in a bouncer, a quick one, does well this time to keep the line on off, Hafeez pulls but is late on the shot, and it goes through to MS.

So a lot of heaving and swinging but at the end of it all, just three singles in the 18th, and the ask becoming harder with every passing over.

After 17 overs,Pakistan 79/2 ( Azhar Ali 48 , Mohammad Hafeez 6)

And here we go — Ravi Jadeja into the attack and with the first ball, forces a mistimed push by Hafeez, the ball in the air but just wide and short of a diving Virat Kohli. One for it. Then has Azhar in all sorts of tangles with his changes of lines and lengths, with the third ball gets him on the pad as the batsman looked to force on the on, big appeal not given, and the Indians chose not to review. Ball could have been bouncing over.

Two singles in that over, Pakistan after 17 are facing an ask 210 runs at 8.7 RPO

Virat Kohli introduces Ravindra Jadeja into the attack in the 17th over.

After 16 overs,Pakistan 76/2 ( Azhar Ali 47 , Mohammad Hafeez 4)

Hardik resumes. nice to see him bowl — tries nothing fancy, knows what he can do and more importantly what he can’t, doesn’t experiment with lines and lengths, just concentrates on putting it on that length around off at the best pace he can manage, which is in the mid 130s. Looks predictable, and therefore easy to premeditate, but look what happened in the previous over when Azhar did just that. Trouble is Hardik skids at the batsman off the deck, causing mistimes on the big shots. Four singles, then a good quick bouncer but really bangs it in short and sends it well over the batsman’s head, so that is wide and has to be bowled again. Short, outside off this time and Azhar ramps it, in the air, wide of third man, Yuvraj runs around, gets his hand to it, but it rolls onto the rope anyway, a bad end to what was a tidy over till then.

After 15 overs,Pakistan 67/2 ( Azhar Ali 41 , Mohammad Hafeez 2)

Umesh, to Azhar — short, quick, darting away off the seam outside off, Azhar tries to cut at it and is beaten, lucky not to nick off there. The next ball is fuller, driving length but again, pace plays spoilsport, Azhar’s drive a bit late, manages only an inside edge onto his pad. Ball three is guided to third man as Umesh gives him a little bit of width to work with.

Very quick delivery on middle hurries onto Hafeez, who was looking to play to leg but beaten and hit high on the thigh. Ball five is a fraction fuller, Hafeez picks it quickly, gets the long stride in and drives, nice high elbow, through extra cover, gets two. Which, by the way, is the first runs he has scored in this innings. Just three in Umesh’s over, his 5th.

Official attendance: 24156

Highest attendance ever in an ODI at Birmingham.#IndvPak #CT17

— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) June 4, 2017

Firstpost correspondents hit the streets of Mumbai and talk to fans about the India-Pakistan clash as the match goes on. 

After 14 overs,Pakistan 64/2 ( Azhar Ali 40 , Mohammad Hafeez 0)

The ask rate is now 8.1 and Hardik Pandya takes over the bowling. Azhar on strike, somewhat becalmed after the fall of those two wickets. Square drives, finds point, Jadeja as always and no run.

Hardik bowling around the six meter mark on the pitch, very tight around that off. No room to get under it, no room to get side on to it and force square, and certainly no room to swing across. So Azhar tries dancing down, swings, mistimes, gets it high in the air. Bhuvi comes running in off the fence at long on, gets both hands to it and drops it on the run. Two for it, adding some insult to Hardik’s injury.

Good bowling here from Hardik — not trying anything fancy, just focussed in that channel, keeping it just a tad back of length and giving no room at all for batsmen. Azhar to the last ball stays leg, makes some room and plays a somewhat cramped cover drive, beats the ring and gets one to the man sweeping.

Bowling change: Hardik Pandya comes into the attack int the 14th over.

After 13 overs,Pakistan 61/2 ( Azhar Ali 37 , Mohammad Hafeez 0)

Dead heat at this point — India 55/0 after 12, Pak 56/1. 

Meanwhile, what’s with Pak players and their fitness? Azhar now needs some running repairs to his calves, with the physio out there and getting busy with yards of tape. Play resumes, ball from Umesh outside off and Babar cuts. At third man, Kedhar Jadav puts in an unnecessary dive, goes over the ball, gives four.

The next ball is shorter, quick off the deck and climbing, Babar Azam slaps at it and Jadeja at point judges the flying ball to a nicety and makes a tough catch look ridiculously simple. Pakistan now 61/2 and falling behind on possible DL calculations.

Babar Azam never looked at home during his short stay at the crease; he seemed to feel pressure to score and the fact that his pushes were not finding singles or gaps didn’t help. Caused him to overhit that square forcing shot, and Umesh’s extra pace did the rest.

Umesh greets the new man Hafeez with a quick, fullish ball around fourth stump, beats the batsman. Hafeez gets behind the next one, pushes square on the off but that is Jadeja, no chance of a run there. The next push is to mid off — Kohli, who attacks the ball and gets to it before they can think of running.

Umesh, last ball in the over, bangs one in just outside off. Hafeez has a swing at it, looking for the leg side, and is beaten for pace, the ball through him before the bat gets to its line. Lovely over, Umesh bowling in peak form here.

Azhar Ali is giving it everything he has and more!

If only someone can support him for a little while longer. Azam’s initiation to Pakistan-India cricket didn’t go according to plan and he will regret giving it away like this. I think there was a case for Skipper Sarfraz to bat at four instead of sending in Hafeez. Pakistan need someone who can rotate the strike for Azhar and then step up after a few balls.

OUT! A huge blow to Pakistan. Babar Azam is Pakistan’s most ODI batsman. Umesh gives the breakthrough. He bowls a shortish delivery and keeps it outside off, Babar gets greedy and cuts it, albeit to Jadeja at point, who reverse cups it safely. Babar departs for 8.  Mohammad Hafeez is the new man in.

After 12 overs,Pakistan 57/1 ( Azhar Ali 37 , Babar Azam 4)

Bumrah continues. Angles onto middle looking for Azhar’s pads, the ball is drifting to leg, and they get the leg bye. Babar Azam in his turn waits on the ball, guides it to third man where Yuvraj races around, fields and releases in one flowing move, stopping a possible second run. Lovely fielding there.

Ball three, Azhar works the single to mid on, checking the shot to make the run possible before the fielder can run in. Babar in his turn forced to defend around his off stump; ball five is pushed to midwicket. And here Bhuvi kumar at midwicket errs, covers the ball and gets down but lets it through and the batsmen take two. The first blemish in the field, really.

And then a tip and run — Babar doing the tipping, Azhar calling him across and engaging in a race with Bumrah who beats him, picks up, throws at the stumps but fails to hit. Risky, but they made it, six in the over

An uphill task this for Pakistan batsmen. They are up against a steep target, rain and certain Mr Duckworth and Mr Lewis. Indian seamers have already shown they have better control than their Pakistan counterparts. Pakistan will have to target one bowler from here. They may decide to take on either Pandya or Jadeja.

India seem focused on getting the 20 overs necessary for a result out of the way. Main pacers Bhuvi and Bumrah bowled most of the overs. Umesh Yadav brought back in the 11th over. India seem to focus on keeping the run rate in check till the 20th over just in case it rains and DL method is utilised again. 51 for 1 from 11 overs is a good check for sure

Babar Azam is the joint fastest to 1000 runs in ODIs. Moreover, he has scored 1322 runs from 27 innings post ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which is the most by any Pakistani player.

After 11 overs, Pakistan 51/1 ( Azhar Ali 36 , Babar Azam 0)

Change in bowling, Bhuvi goes off and Umesh comes back on with a change of ends. Good first ball, quick and on off at a very good length, forces the defensive push from Azam. The next ball, Umesh holds the length just marginally back, moves his line fractionally outside off, and gets the ball to seam away and beat the edge as Babar Azam pokes hesitantly at it and is beaten. Lovely ball that, voluptuous shape to it.

Umesh has really cranked up his pace here, and that plus his very tight line around that off keeping Azam quiet — the ball is consistently coming onto the bat before the batsman is ready for it. Closes out the maiden, the first of this innings.

After 10 overs,Pakistan 51/1 ( Azhar Ali 36 , Babar Azam 0)

Bumrah starts with one short, wide of off, sitting up for Azhar Ali to sway away from the line and upper cut it over Dhoni to the third man fence for four.

Meanwhile, they show the ball tracker — the ball is striking in line, the impact is on the very top of middle stump, so it would have been umpire’s call.

Babar Azam the new man in, but Azhar here on strike to Bumrah who after that first ball aberration lengthens his line, tightens it around off stump, and keeps the batsman quiet, the pushes finding the ring of three on the off side. Just the four in that over, then, Bumrah doing very well to come back after being taken for the boundary first up.

After 9 overs,Pakistan 47/1 ( Azhar Ali 32 , )

Bhuvi continues and again, quick strike rotation by both batsmen. The field is set to stop singles but the batsmen are taking them on anyway, on either side of the wicket — high-risk at times, but these two are doing well to place it marginally left or right of the fielders and running with the shot.

A two, then two singles, and then a lovely drive by Azhar — straight ball outside off on length, Azhar figures there is no swing now, eases onto the front foot behind the line, and drives past the diving mid off fielder for four.

Bhuvi goes fuller in length, Azhar tries the drive again, this time finds the outer edge and squirts the ball down to third man for a single. Last ball, and there is the wicket gone!

Very full, quick, shaping in a touch, beating Shehzad on the push to the leg side and crashing into the pad. They think about reviewing, decide not to, Shehzad walks, Pak 47/1. On a replay just now, the ball looked to be striking in line, but maybe, just maybe, bouncing over. Very tight though, and the decision not to review is a good one, even a touch of the bail would have left it as the umpire’s call.

OUT! Bhuvi draws first blood. He angles in a length ball, around middle as Shehzad tries to flick it away. But the Pakistan opener fails to connect and the ball raps him on the pads. The Indian players start appealing and up comes the dreaded finger. Shehzad has a brief chat with Azhar and decides to not opt for the review. Babar Azam is the new man in.

Azhar Ali has started really well. He looks in prime form. Meanwhile Ahmed Shehzad’s placement & running was completely out of synch. He is out now, that was a very poor innings in the context of this match.

After 8 overs,Pakistan 38/0 ( Azhar Ali 24 , Ahmed Shehzad 11)

Bumrah resumes. In this over, laser-focussed on that channel, his target the fourth stump, back of good length to make the ball climb as it gets to the batsman. Very good line with that tight off cordon, forcing the batsman to try and go off to leg with the risk of the edge opening up.

It takes three dot balls before Shehzad manages to get behind a ball and guide it backward of point for one. But then Azhar takes a chance. Some premeditation here — Bumrah is bowling straight in that channel, Azhar pre decides, takes a stride across and swings it, up and over mid on, gets four.

Last ball, pushed to the off side, the batsmen look for the single, Azhar gives up midway as the cover fielder gets to the ball but the throw is off target — a direct hit, and the batsman was gone by half the length of the pitch. In the event, it is a miss, and Azhar thankfully scrambles home.

The first powerplay ends, the second begins now.

After 7 overs,Pakistan 32/0 ( Azhar Ali 19 , Ahmed Shehzad 10)

Bhuvi continues. Length on the short side, Shehzad forces square, gets one. And then a misfield at cover by Dhawan as Azhar drives off length, the fielder had it covered and then let it through, single.

Ball three, shorter, outside off, chopped down to point, Jadeja dives, gets a hand to it to take the pace off, and then finds that on the dive, his pants have slipped down halfway down his thighs. One for that, then two as a length ball is driven on top of the bounce through extra cover, Azhar the batsman.

The ring on the off tightens — short point, regular point, cover, extra cover, mid off, all inside the ring. Azhar tries to walk forward and across to Bhuvi, who keeps the ball full and quick through the channel, goes right through the batsman beating him for pace, Azhar very lucky no part of the bat touched that on the way through to Dhoni. Good over this from the senior Indian seamer.

After 6 overs,Pakistan 27/0 ( Azhar Ali 16 , Ahmed Shehzad 8)

Umesh is off, and Bumrah will bowl his first over. Shehzad facing. His line is just outside off, straight down the channel, with a slip in place. The first ball is defended, the second, identical ball is squeezed behind point off the back foot for one.

Ball three, to Azhar, on length and the batsman nicely forward into the drive, finds cover. Ball four is a bit wider, a bit shorter, and considerably quicker — by far the quickest thus far. Azhar sees the width, shapes to drive and is beaten for pace — his bat comes through after the ball has passed him.

Bumrah straightens the line onto off stump next up, and Azhar pushes to mid on, still no way to break past the cordon. Last ball of the over, though, short, wide, not as fast as the one Bumrah tried earlier, and this time Azhar nails that square drive, gets behind the ball and splatters it past point to the fence for four to end the over. Was a good one too, till he gave too much width off that final ball.

After 5 overs,Pakistan 22/0 ( Azhar Ali 12 , Ahmed Shehzad 7)

Another factor to keep in mind is that the bowlers quota has been adjusted as well. One bowler can bowl 9, the other four get eight apiece. 

As place resumes, there is soft fluffy white clouds over the ground, some sunshine, and one dark cloud off to one corner which, at the moment, doesn’t look too threatening. But then, who thought when the chase began that rain would come within five overs? Nothing like England to add needless artificial complications to a game.

Bhuvi resumes, bowls the last ball of his unfinished over. To Azhar, on off, pushed to mid on where the fielder is well inside the circle, almost parallel to the umpire. No run.

The players are back on the field. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will finish his incomplete over. According to the new adjustment, only one bowler is allowed to bowl 9 overs. The rest four can bowl eight.

The D/L par scores, if there is no further rain till the 20th over, which is bare minimum to constitute a result, are 109/0, 116/1, 125/2, 137/3, 152/4

The word from on high is that 7 overs have been lost due to this stoppage. The innings is now 41 overs duration, and the ask is 289. Pakistan have scored 22/0 in 4.5 overs at the point of interruption.

The more this keeps getting revised, the more it will swing in favour of the batting side and the more the onus will be on the defending team to take wickets in a hurry.

Phew! This has been a long, long day. The rain has stopped is what I am hearing now. Pakistan’s target indeed would be 289 runs from 41 overs.

Update: Assuming no further spells of rain, the play is scheduled to resume at 4.55 local time, that is around 9.25 PM IST. More info on how this impacts the target as and when we get to hear.

~The rain has stopped and news is coming in that the play will resume at 1655 local time and 2125 IST. Will update the target and number of overs shortly. Stay tuned. Pakistan’s target is 289 in 41 overs.~  It has started raining again. A day that promised so much is ending up to be so frustrating.

Whatever else the two teams are doing during the break, hopefully they are spending some time doing their math. Increasingly, it seems unlikely this game will last the allotted 48 overs — this break should see a revision in the target, any more spells of rain will cause further tweaks and at some point, D/L will start favouring the chasing side.

India needs to know the various par scores, precisely, starting with the 20th over and for every over after that because the way things are going, and given the forecast which talks of further spells of rain, there is no knowing just when this game will be called off.

It’s not the optimal way of playing cricket, all this advanced calculus — but it is what it is, and the one thing India can’t afford is to be trumped by a revised ask in a rain-shortened game. They’ve put themselves in prime position to win this one, but it is no longer as simple as defending 324.

At the time of writing this, the cloud is still thick and heavy over the ground, the covers are still on, and there is no prospect of an early resumption of play.

The umbrellas are up in the stands. 

😞 The rain is back!

🌧 Covers come on with Pakistan 22-0 after 4.5 overs.#INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/oDuk5kOwZz

— ICC (@ICC) June 4, 2017

Pakistan 22 without loss in 4.5 overs as the players go off for another rain delay. Ramiz Raja is trying his best to jinx this from the commentator’s box – he started talking about a potential 100-run partnership when Azhar and Shehzad hit the 12-run mark.  Too early to call anything but, well, we kind of sort of know how this is going to end.

Pakistan’s par score at the end of 20 overs is 103 if they won’t lose a wicket. If they lose a wicket then their par score after 20 overs will be 113. If they lose two wickets then their par score after 20 overs will be 127.

That's what we want to blow over... Clear in the distance. Rain slowing down. #INDvPAK #CT17 #WeatherManForADay pic.twitter.com/1Wt6kDvbxe

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 4, 2017

Unlike the Pakistani fast bowlers Bhuveneshwar Kumar is getting the ball to dart around. May be he is pitching it up a lot further than the Pakistanis. Or weather conditions are better. My bet is his skill set at moving the ball is better than most bowlers. Beautiful seam position almost always. But now rains again! Wonder what the next DL par score would be!

After 4.5 overs,Pakistan 22/0 ( Azhar Ali 12 , Ahmed Shehzad 7)

Beauty from Bhuvi — good length in the channel, very late swing away, Shehzad drove at the length and was totally beaten by the movement, misses his outer edge. The next ball straightens, quicker off the deck and the batsman scrambles a defensive push, a bit hurried by Bhuvi’s skiddy pace.

Just the one slip now, Shikhar Dhawan standing a bit wide, between first and second slip positions to try and cover the thick edge. Bhuvi now straightens one into the pad on a fuller length, hits Shehzad on the pad. Appeal, a good one, but it could just be sliding down leg, so the Indians decide not to refer.

Bhuvi in this over is looking for that full length and the pads of both Shehzad and Azhar, bowling the good or full lengths. But here we go again, after 5 balls of the 5th over, a sharp shower sends everyone running off the field and the covers coming back on.

Since we don't get many #INDvPAK games these days, rain gods ensuring this one lasts forever #CT17

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) June 4, 2017

We have another rain interruption and the players are walking off. Covers are coming back on. This has been a merry-go-round today. We will lose one over every four minutes now.

After 4 overs,Pakistan 21/0 ( Azhar Ali 12 , Ahmed Shehzad 7)

Lovely first ball by Umesh, good length, around 4th stump, late movement away from the right hander beats the edge, Azhar played at that one and was beaten for pace and swing.

Shorter delivery from Umesh, Azhar cuts at it, overhits it a bit and squirts the ball down to third man for one. Quick ball on length and on off from Umesh, played on the on and Shehzad calls and sprints the single. Both batsmen rolling the strike over despite a very close set field, so now square leg has moved to a short midwicket to save that one on the on.

Short ball, climbing on Azhar who tries to pull, beaten for pace, the bat coming down after the ball has thudded into his hip. Another short ball, the genuine bouncer, Azhar hooks, in the air but nicely placed, behind square leg and well wide of fine leg, four to end that over.

India were 9/0 after 4, Pakistan are 21/0 – India can score 70+ in the last 4 overs, Pakistan no longer have that firepower. It is essential for Pakistan to keep the runrate in check otherwise they might panic in an attempt to catch up. By Pakistan standards, this is a very decent start.

This is a decent start from Pakistan. Need to keep going that way to stay in contention through D/L. Clouds around

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 4, 2017

After 3 overs,Pakistan 15/0 ( Azhar Ali 7 , Ahmed Shehzad 6)

Bhuvi with a change in field — there is a point, a cover, a mid off and also a short coverpoint in a close-catching position, beside the slips. Very attacking off side field, and Bhuvi has moved up the scale to the 140k mark as well. Azhar pushes the second ball towards mid on, Yuvraj a bit slow off the mark there, the batsmen sneak one.

There’s a breeze blowing across, right to left of the right handed batsman, Bhuvi bowling into it. Hits a line outside off, Shehzad drops it down behind point, gets one to roll the strike over. And now Bhuvi strays to middle and leg, Shehzad flicks off his pads through square leg, superb work by Bumrah, running several yards to his left and then diving to pull the ball back, keeps it down to three.

Bhuvi now fuller and quicker, on off, forcing the defensive push by Shehzad. Last ball of the over is outside off, skids through after pitching and gets to Dhoni on a roll along the ground, not sure what happened there, in all probability Bhuvi let slip the slower fuller one. No run, three overs gone. Pak’s asking rate for the innings is 6.8.

And to add to the fun, huge dark clouds over the ground again.

After 2 overs,Pakistan 10/0 ( Azhar Ali 3 , Ahmed Shehzad 5)

Umesh Yadav shares the new ball, Shehzad on strike, two slips in place and Umesh begins at around 137k, on line of off. Ball two though is wide and short, and Shehzad frees his arms, smacks the ball on top of its bounce behind point, finds the boundary. Clean strike.

Umesh now straightens his line and ups his pace, getting up to the 139 mark and angling tight on off and middle, Shehzad pushes defensively in front of him.

Umesh, again that same line but a bit shorter in length, Shehzad pushes on the onside, this time manages to find space in front of square leg, gets one.

Very good ball five that, very quick, very full in length, the extra pace has Azhar scrambling, the ball hitting the bat rather than the other way around. Umesh now cranking up his pace above the 140 mark; the last ball is short, pulled behind square for one to end the over.

After 1 overs,Pakistan 4/0 ( Azhar Ali 2 , Ahmed Shehzad 0)

“Pakistan has runs to make and it is not going to be simple,” says Wasim Raja, that modern master of the art of understatement.

Over the last 13 games — there is that stat again — Pakistan has won just one game where the opposition has made over 250, while losing the other 12. And this, to borrow from Raja’s trick of understatement, is a bit more than 250.

Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad will open for Pakistan with Azhar taking first strike, and Bhuvi Kumar will take the new ball at the Birmingham End for India. Ball one is a wide down the leg side, Bhuvi looking for swing and missing his line there.

Bhuvi corrects his line, finding the good length outside off and finding some movement in to the right hander who defends. The next ball is an eye-opener — around 5th stump line, but a lovely straight seam and it swings noticeably away from the batsman. 

Bhuvi again bowls that line wide of off but this time gets it a bit wrong, and is called wide for the second time in this over. Given the movement he is getting, Bhuvi needs his line closer to off looking for the outer edge of that bat.

Gets it a bit too straight twice on the run, the first ball is defended, the second is nicely driven, a controlled shot by Azhar through midwicket getting him two. Bhuvi there was looking for the variation — the inswinger after those early deliveries swinging away. Straightens one on off, and Azhar pushes into the covers, single.

Last ball of the over, through the channel and on the second bounce to Dhoni as Bhuvi changes down his pace. End of the first over, Bhuvi experimenting here with lines and lengths and yet to settle on his optimum.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s bowling strike rate of 36.0 in England in ODIs is better than his career ODI bowling strike rate of 47.9.

The Indian players have taken their positions in the field. Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad are the Pakistan openers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to start the proceedings for India. Can Pakistan pull off a win? Stay with us to find out…..

Pakistan need 324 to win from 48 overs. Can Safraz Ahmed and Co pull off a win? #INDvPAK #CT17

Follow live here: https://t.co/I4b2sJxeVq

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) June 4, 2017

We called this the first big test for Sarfraz as captain and he looked as clueless as Azhar Ali. This is definitely not encouraging for a team looking to rebuild. Sarfraz needs to be more present as captain instead of relying on pre-planned strategies. It’s slightly comical that the pacers bowled together from over 13 to 16. His obsession with bowling Imad, for example, hurt Pakistan a lot. They allowed Dhawan, Sharma and Kohli to settle in against slow bowling. Mohammad Amir bowled four overs up front and was brought back in the 30th over. For all the talk by Arthur about picking wickets and not containing, what we saw in the field was the exact opposite. Pakistan were happy to let India cruise along with wickets in hand and they just did not have it in them to stop the Indians in the end.

WATCH the crowd's reaction the moment @imVkohli reached his fifty! #INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/FhqyaNhsLL

— ICC (@ICC) June 4, 2017

Covers off... Start in 12 minutes if no rain. #INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/Xi1RrzT9yO

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 4, 2017

Pakistan’s target will be 324 runs in 48 overs (adjusted according to D/L method).

The pic of the day by some distance! pic.twitter.com/2bgLJmeCiu

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 4, 2017

The rain has stopped, the covers are still on the ground, the umpires will be coming out for an inspection fairly soon, and meanwhile the revised D/L target for Pakistan is 324 to win in 48 overs.

Check out Virat Kohli’s progression for a textbook example of batting deep. At the 35 over mark, universally accepted as a pivot point in an ODI, Kohli was on 27 off 34. 

After 40 overs, he was 35 off 43. And after 44, he had moved to 44 off 56. And then the floodgates opened — off his next twelve balls faced, Kohli blasted 37 runs to finish up with an unbeaten 81 off 68. This is what he does when he is in form — anchors things down in the middle, pushes his partners to bat around him and go big and then, with unerring instinct, spots his moment and explodes.

Pretty close to the perfect finish. 72 runs from the last 4 overs. Kohli-Pandya stand 34 off 10 balls. #INDvPAK #CT17

— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) June 4, 2017

Just few overs ago,Kohli was 45 of 57 balls,next 11 balls 36 to finish with 81*of 68.
Great finish for India this. Pandya superb.#INDvPAK

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 4, 2017

Pakistan’s target as per DLS method is 324 from 48 overs.

Absolute mayhem in the final four overs — 72 runs, one wicket, two Pakistan bowlers off with injuries, India ending up with 319/3, all four of the top batsmen topping the fifty-run mark… with that, the Indian innings has ended, on 48 overs, and when play resumes after however long the break is, Pakistan will chase 320 in 48.

Pakistan need 324 runs to win. India were superb with the bat at the end after losing their way in the middle. Pakistan have themselves to blame for dropping both Yuvraj & Kohli who made them pay. For Pakistan to win this match, they will need to bat like they have never done before. Someone needs to bat through otherwise there is no chance. Babar Azam & Shoaib Malik hold the key.

Highest totals for India in ICC Champions Trophy:

331/7 v South Africa, Cardiff, 2013
319/3 v Pakistan, Birmingham, 2017*
307/8 v Australia, Dhaka, 1998

KING YUVI and KING KOHLI!

113 off the last 9 overs is some seriously good batting. Kohli’s six off Hassan Ali over cover shows why he is the best in the business. Pakistan’s bowling was spineless and the scorecard gives a sorry reading. This was always going to be a tough chase for Pakistan, even without the late onslaught. Now it seems even more impossible.

The highest target successfully chased by Pakistan in ICC ODI tournaments is 263 which they chased it against New Zealand in 1992.

After 48 overs,India 319/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 81 , Hardik Pandya 20)

Imad Wasim to Hardik Pandya and what’s with this lad? The second ball he is facing, goes low on his knee, gets under a perfectly decent ball and whacks it way over long on for six.

Imad again, tries to go wide of off, no change though — Hardik down on his knee, adjusts for the wider length and hits it exactly where the first one went.

Ball three, and this time Hardik shimmies to the off stump before the bowler can bowl. Imad tries to compensate by spearing it on middle stump line looking for the pads, down goes Hardik on his knee and this time, the swing takes the ball over the midwicket boundary. Three sixes in a row and counting.

Ball four, fuller, Hardik swings, misses, appeal for LBW turned down and Pak review again. On the replay, this looks a good review — fair delivery, no touch of bat on ball. Impact is on line of middle, ball is going straight through and will hit the bail. That makes it umpire’s call, and Dharamsena stays with the earlier not out call. Hardik, with rain falling now, celebrates by smacking the next ball over cover, finds the fielder in the deep, just one.

And the final ball of that over, Virat goes low, gets room for the bat swing, hits it powerfully into the gap between cover and mid on, finds the boundary. Three sixes, a four, a single in the final over.

Wahab Riaz has conceded 87 runs today from 8.4 overs which is the most by a bowler in an ICC Champions Trophy match. The previous most was 86 by Tinashe Panyangara against England at Birmingham in 2004.

After 47 overs,India 296/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 77 , Hardik Pandya 1)

Imad  completes the one ball left in Wahab’s over, bowls it very wide of Virat, almost along the wide line, Virat can’t get to it, asks why it is not a wide, but the umpire calls it fair, and it is fair, by a hairsbreadth. Some mild talk there, Imad telling Virat something that looks unparliamentary.

Hasan continues. Finds Yuvraj’s pads with a fuller length one, big appeal, umpire says no, so Pakistan goes for the review. On the replay, that is a very full length, almost a yorker, Yuvraj misses the flick, it hits the front pad. There is no touch of bat on the hot spot or ultra edge. 

Which leaves the ball tracker — shows the ball pitching in line of leg, hitting the off stump halfway up its height, so the ruling is out and Yuvraj’s gone, to a good yorker from Hasan, for a very good 53 off 32.

Hardik Pandya, the new man in, begins with a push to the point region for one. Virat picks up where he left off — to length on off, Virat shuffles a bit to get side on to the ball, and drives with fluid ease, through the gap in the covers, four. Lovely, flowing shot hit with absolute conviction, and the follow up is spectacular — stays to the leg stump side, goes inside out to the length ball outside off, gets under it and with no apparent effort, sends it way over cover for six.

Two brilliant shots back to back, to retrieve an over spoilt somewhat by the fall of a wicket, and India with two overs left are on 296.

OUT! Successful review for Pakistan. Hasan bowls a yorker and Yuvraj tries to flick it only to miss it. The bowler goes up but the umpire doesn’t think its out. Sarfraz takes a review and the replays show that there was no bat involved. It pitched in the line of the stumps too. Yuvraj has to depart.

After 46 overs,India 285/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 67 , Yuvraj Singh 53)

Uh oh, it is all going to pieces for Pak. Wahab seems Virat backing away and spears one outside off; Virat goes low, reaches a long way across and gets the ball to the third man fence with a very late cut. Turns out it was a no ball, so free hit follows and Virat hits free, that flick-drive he plays so well with the wrist, times and places it perfectly this time, four wide of midwicket in the gap, so two fours and only one legit ball bowled.

The next ball is length on off — perfectly in the slot for Virat to get under and hoist, see, this is what Amir never permitted; lovely lofted drive, over long on, six. 15 runs in two balls, as bad a start to an over as you can get.

Single off the next ball, Wahab now to Yuvraj. Short ball, which Yuvraj was sure was coming, so he backs away, hacks at it, gets the top part of the bat to it and pulls it over fine leg for a four on the bounce. Another short ball, which is getting predictable, Yuvraj backs off and slashes, high in the air, drops behind point, single — and now it is Wahab on the ground, seemingly with a turned ankle or some such. Definitely not cramp, but he looked in some discomfort at the top of his mark when he bowled that last ball, and he collapsed immediately after sending it down.

Injury time out, one ball left in the over, and the big question — okay, one big question — is whether Wahab will make it to the century. He is on 87 now.

Ok don’t laugh, the guy had two catches dropped off his bowling.

Update: Wahab has his right shoe off, the foot seems to have swollen up, and he looks to be hobbling off the ground now.

Yuvraj Singh’s 29-ball fifty is the fastest by an Indian in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Pakistan have dropped Yuvraj, Pakistan have dropped Kohli; What else did Pakistan expect? Wahab Riaz has taken it upon himself to complete a century with the ball. This is carnage!

Now Wahab's hurt his ankle. It's going horribly wrong for Pakistan.

— Scott Redler  (@RedDogT73) June 4, 2017

Very important for India to finish innings on a high. It would demoralise Pakistan going into the break. Kohli and Yuvraj are doing a terrific job in the death overs taking the bowlers to the cleaners

Now Wahab Riaz seems to have discomfort with his right foot. He is sitting on the ground and the physio is out to give some medical attention. He’s taken his shoe off and is now leaving the field. Pakistan are two bowlers short.

That dropped catch of Yuvraj will haunt Hassan Ali for a while. Yuvi has played like he played on the 2006 tour of Pakistan. He is a treat to watch when he hits the ball in such a clean manner. Amir’s injury came at a terrible time for Pakistan. Wahab is clearly not an ideal bowler in this situation!

Kohli seems to have lost his timing in his anxiety to go after the bowling. But Yuvraj is timing the ball brilliantly. India need Yuvraj to take more of the strike and play the cameo he is known for. India must get to 300 or very close to it to really put the match past Pakistan. Amir’s struggle with cramps will once again upset the momentum of the batsmen. Just as they are getting into a flow comes this break. May be gamesmanship for all we know. Won;t put it past these Pakistanis

FIFTY! Now Yuvraj Singh gets to the milestone with a top edged boundary over short fine leg. This is his 52nd fifty.

After 45 overs,India 264/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 52 , Yuvraj Singh 48)

Hasan continues, and after Virat rolls the strike over, bowls a full toss to Yuvraj. Why oh why? Yuvraj, more adept than most at putting away such gifts, effortlessly slots the lofted drive flat and hard over the head of the bowler for four to the straight boundary, then takes one to give his captain back the strike.

Short ball outside off, and Virat pulls. This time, the pace is not up there in the Wahab class, Virat can control what looks like a tennis forehand deep into the stands at long on. Then stays back and smacks a cover drive to the sweeper for a single. Hasan’s line and length going to pieces here, at the death. Last ball, and another full toss, what the hell?! Yuvraj again gets under it for the lofted drive, this time swinging it wide of long on to find the boundary on the bounce.

17 runs in the over, unusually expensive by Hasan’s standards, but the slog is on and there is likely more mayhem coming

FIFTY! Kohli backs away and slap bats one over long on for a six. He’s pumped up after that shot. This is 40th half century.

After 44 overs,India 247/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 44 , Yuvraj Singh 39)

Amir to Virat, a leg bye as Virat is beaten for pace on the attempted flick off the pads. But then Amir, with five balls to bowl in this over and another possible over to bowl after this, collapses with what seems to be a bad attack of cramp.

Break in play while the support staff work to carry out running repairs on the lead paceman. Back soon.

That’s a bit of a blow for Pakistan — Amir, their second most economical bowler, limps off the field leaving Wahab to bowl the remaining five balls. So that is effectively two good overs that Pakistan will miss here.

Wahab begins with a short ball, Yuvraj pulls, doesn’t get hold of it well this time though thanks to the extra pace of Wahab, manages to find space to land the ball on the on side in the midwicket region, gets one.

Virat in his turn parks himself deep in the crease and smacks a length ball hard, but can’t find a gap, hits it to long on for one. Yuvraj backs away looking for the short ball, it is fuller and cramps him, he manages to push it away from his body behind square, ugly looking shot but there is one there.

Wahab to Virat, and there’s that wristy flick-drive he has patented, picking the good length ball on off but picking out the fielder at midwicket. Virat pulls the next ball, again like Yuvraj, mistimes thanks to the extra pace, the ball balloons in the air, midwicket and mid on converge, midwicket falls for it — and, how predictable is that — shells the chance. 

That is a life each now to Virat and Yuvraj.

Terrible signs for Pakistan. Mohammad Amir is on the ground and suffering with cramps. Not what Pakistan needed right now. He is going off the field and Wahab Riaz will continue his over.

After 43 overs,India 242/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 42 , Yuvraj Singh 37)

We are well into the slog phase here, really — more so as this is a 49-over inning. Hasan Ali resumes, Yuvraj works one on the on side; Virat backs away to leg to try and make room but Hasan reads it, bowls the wider yorker to go under Virat’s bat and beat him on length and pace.

Ball three, fuller, looking to york. Virat can’t get under it, plays it off the outer edge to short third, single.

Yuvraj does brilliantly to the next ball. Changes his stance to an off stump position, forces the bowler to bowl at him, stays still in the crease and smacks the length ball back down the pitch, to the straight field, four. Hasan responds with a white line yorker, wide of off, good pace beats Yuvraj’s attempt to slash. Short ball to finish, and that is a mistake — Yuvraj’s been parked deep in his crease all the time, waiting for the short one; he gets it, and swivels into a pull that carries the field, finds the six over mid-wicket. Lovely shot, bit of a brain fade by Hasan there to give the leftie one in the slot after his earlier impressive work. 12 in the over

You simply don’t drop Yuvraj Singh! He slams Hasan Ali for a four and a six and brings up the 50-run stand between himself and Virat Kohli.

After 42 overs,India 230/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 41 , Yuvraj Singh 26)

Mohd Amir into the attack now, replacing Wahab who has gone for 62 off his seven. Relentless control, from Amir — good length or better, on off or 4th stump, both to the left hander and the right hander, the line and length perfect for the field which is drawn in to stop singles. Zero margin for error though — a little bit short and batsmen can carry the field, which is what Yuvraj does off the fifth ball to end a sequence of three singles. Amir bowled that one short, Yuvraj stepped back in his crease and pulled, hitting it very straight, to wide long on for four, follows it up by backing away and guiding a single to third man. Eight in that over.

After 41 overs,India 222/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 39 , Yuvraj Singh 20)

Hasan Ali, most economical of the Pakistan bowlers, is now back. Starts on the shorter side of length and Virat controls a pull, gets two to wide midwicket. The next ball is fuller, quicker, the ball skidding onto Virat who tries the open face guide to third man — the quicker pace hits the bat early, finds point, no run.

To the next one, Kohli stays put on his leg stump, seems to have figured that Hasan is bowling good length on off all the time, so makes room, carves it over cover, finds the sweeper, just one for it. And then Yuvraj gets lucky — lovely yorker, angled across the left hander, Yuvraj late to get his bat down, gets the inside of the bottom part of the bat to it, the ball eludes the stumps and the keeper and races down for four. A more controlled drive to the next ball gets one.

Short ball, and Virat pulls, checking the shot at the top of the hitting arc to keep it from flaring in the air, finds one to deep midwicket to end Hasan’s 7th over. Three bowlers can bowl ten apiece and Shadab has already completed his ten, Hasan likely to be one and likely, Amir to be the third.

Surely no more overs for Wahab? He is having an absolute shocker!

Sarfraz talked about going out of the box but he pretty much confined himself to his self-created box. No reason now for India to hold back and they can easily target 310-320. Kohli acceleration just around the corner.

Shadab Khan truly belongs at this level. In his first match vs arch rivals India he held his own. Unlucky not to pick up more wickets thanks to Pakistan’s fielding as usual. Meanwhile Wahab Riaz continues to spoil all his good work at the other end. India to be honest haven’t gotten away despite a great start.

After 40 overs,India 213/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Yuvraj Singh 15)

Wahab resumes as Dharamsena signals the final powerplay, which should last till the 48th over, Virat works his customary single to third man; Wahab hurries Yuvraj with a very quick delivery on the off stump, the hasty push finding point, no run.

Ball three, shorter and makes room, by staying put on the leg stump, to free his arms and force past point. Good fielding by Babar Azam at sweeper on the off keeps it down to two  and to the next ball, Yuvraj forces to point and Shadab dives, fields. He really has been the standout in a fairly ordinary Pakistan fielding unit.

Wahab, ball five, bouncer. Good one, really put a lot into it and that ball kicked off length; Yurvaj parodies a pull with bat nowhere in line and with his face turned away from that ball. But then he gets his own back — to the last ball, Yuvraj in predetermined fashion backs off to leg; the ball is fullish outside off, Yuvraj uses the room he has made to carve it through the covers, finds the boundary.

How good has Shadab been today? Remember he is only 18 years old but he has mastered his wrong one. There were those odd half trackers – one that Kohli missed – but he has generally remained calm in such a high pressure game. He deserved that Yuvraj wicket but Pakistan’s fielding isn’t always supportive of their bowlers. Excellent bowling!

Shadab Khan has impressed as much with his bowling as with his fielding.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 4, 2017

After 39 overs,India 206/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 34 , Yuvraj Singh 9)

Shadab continues, into his final over now. Good wrong ‘un to start with, Yuvraj was looking for the leg break leaving him, gets in a slight tangle but gets enough bat on it to play it to point.

Ball two, now with a short third man, point, cover, sweeper, long off and Yuvraj onto the front foot, drives through the covers and gets one. Kohli, predictably, works a single with ridiculous ease, stepping back in his crease and pushing to long on.

And down goes a chance: Yuvraj down the track, looking to loft on the on side, the wrong ‘un again finds the thick outside edge, the ball flares to long on and Hasan Ali, with all the time in the world, runs around, gets behind the ball, gets his hands to it, and shells it.

1/52 Shadab as he completes his ten overs; it should have been 2/52 but then again, what is a Pakistan fielding effort without a few shelled chances and muffs in the field?

They said this is a battle between Indian batting and Pakistan bowling. So far the only wickets Pakistan has picked have come courtesy of a full toss and a run out. Rohit’s wicket came at a good time for Pakistan. He is capable of scoring boundaries at will after crossing hundred. Yuvraj, Dhoni and the rest have the license to really go for it now. After the start they got, India will be disappointed if they get anything less than 320.

Shadab Khan to finish his quota of 10 overs.

After 38 overs,India 202/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 32 , Yuvraj Singh 7)

Wahab Riaz continues, Kohli eases onto the front foot and across the stumps to cover the angle, cover drives fluently to the sweeper to find one. Short ball, predictable since it is Yuvraj on strike, lifting just outside off, Yuvraj drops it dead on the off and they sneak a rather risky single.

Kohli, as usual, seems to have a dozen spots picked out on the field where he can get a single with ease — he spots the shorter length, stays back, opens the bat face, uses his wrist, finds one easily to third man. Good bouncer to Yuvraj, who pulls out of line (and, btw, turns his head away from the ball, which they tell you never to do).

The full ball follows the bouncer, but Yuvraj seemed to have predicted that — shuffles his feet a bit to get his bat to the overpitched ball, flicks it through wide mid on, gets timing right and ev en despite lack of power, it beats the fielder to the fence. Short again to end the over, Yuvraj swivels into a controlled pull, gets one.

Wahab bowls aggressively, never content to repeat himself, bowl a tight line six balls an over — and the result is, he bleeds runs. In this case, runs the fielding side cannot afford

After 37 overs,India 194/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 30 , Yuvraj Singh 1)

Shadab continues, Rohit on drives — for Shadab, mid on is pushed back which means any stroke played in that direction is a single for sure. Kohli in his turn waits, guides straight to that short third man, and Rohit this time makes the call and races over for a quick sneaked single, earns applause from his captain.

After Rohit works a single, the two try that sneaky stunt again — Virat plays to point, Rohit calls and runs across, very tight one this, desperate dive from Rohit as the stumps are broken. The problem for the third umpire: the bat is on the ground, but it is the underside of the bat that is touching the earth, so the curve of the bat makes it look as if it is not really grounded though well over the line.

Very tight call, all evidence indicates that Rohit is gone — and that is the final call. Rohit run out for 91 off 119. His bat was a good foot over the line, but hey. This actually is something teams pay attention to and practice a lot these days, to make sure that on the slide, the bat is facing down so the ridge at the back of the bat doesn’t lift it in the air. Sharma must have skipped that particular class, and pays for it. In comes Yuvraj Singh.

Ball five of Shadab’s over, driven quite easily to mid on and a single. In his turn, Virat finds mid on for another to end a wicket-taking over that left Rohit nine short of a hundred on his comeback to national duty.

Yuvraj Singh is the highest run-scorer (1285) and highest wicket-taker (13) against Pakistan in ODIs from current Indian ODI squad

OUT! A wicket out of nowhere and it is partly due to Kohli’s habit of stealing quick singles. The Indian captain often forgets that his partners don’t run as fast as him. Kohli taps one to point and asks Rohit to come across, he does. The point fielder hurls a throw at striker’s end and Sarfraz whips the bails off. Replays suggest that Rohit’s bat was in air even if his bat was past the crease. He walks back dejected. Perhaps a blessing in disguise for India because Rohit had slowed down a bit. Yuvraj Singh is the new man in.

Difficult for batsmen to get back into their rhythm after this sort of stop-go interruption. They need to get back into their groove before they can lay it into the bowlers again. Pakistan has an excellent chance of pushing through 1 to 2 overs of their more expensive bowlers at this stage. However both Rohit Sharma and Kohli are capable of turning on the heat once they get the feet moving again. Important that they keep their wickets intact. Wet ball will make reverse swing virtually impossible in he closing stages. .

After 36 overs,India 189/1 ( Rohit Sharma 89 , Virat Kohli (C) 28)

Amir is off and Wahab Riaz gets another go. Good first ball that, short, sharp in pace, moving a bit off the seam, climbing on Rohit and defeating his tentative cut. The next ball is along the same angle but fuller, Rohit throws his bat at it and off the bottom edge, it flares to deep backward point, single.

Wahab to Virat, who stays deep in the crease, opens the bat face and runs it behind point, gets one. And Rohit, increasingly showing signs of frustration, back on strike — a wide slip, point, cover, mid off all in the ring, Wahab bowls length on the angle, Rohit this time glides forward and drives, very fluid stroke, through the extra cover gap for four. And when Wahab drops short and on middle, to the next ball, Rohit rocks back and eases into the pull, easily clears the field on the on to find six over midwicket; lovely late wristwork on that pull to guide the ball where he wanted it to go.

Wahab proving expensive yet again. Bowls outside off and Rohit ends the over with a guided single to deep third man. 13 in the over, which seems to be Wahab’s idea of par.

Excellent passage of play for Pakistan. They have given away 14 runs in the last five overs but Wahab Riaz comes on to bowl. This could swing either way now – either India gets out of this mini-rut or Pakistan picks up a wicket.

50-run stand comes up between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after Rohit slams a four and six off Wahab Riaz’s consecutive deliveries.

Pakistan get a chance to regroup after another rain break. Rohit and Kohli have been operating in cruise control. With 16 overs to go now, the rest of the batsmen will look to smoke a few out of the park. This pitch looks full of runs and after strengthening their batting India needs to make enough to bat Pakistan out of this game.

Tricky for India now.Need around 100 runs at least in remaining 12 overs but cant afford to many wickets & suffer from D/L if it rains again

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 4, 2017

After 34 overs,India 174/1 ( Rohit Sharma 77 , Virat Kohli (C) 25)

Change in bowling with Hasan off, Shadab Khan back on. Kohli forces square, the ball flares off a thick top edge but short of short third man, placed there to stop Kohli sneaking singles with the dab. Follows up with a short ball though and Virat rocks back, pulls — the ball not bouncing too much so he can’t get under it fully, has to hit it along the ground to deep square, gets two. Virat dabs down, finds short third; drives, finds cover; gets one outside off turning further away and lets it go — two in the over, good one on his return to the bowling crease by Shadab here.

At least Wahab will not have to bowl 10 overs, that’s a relief for Pakistan fans. Play has resumed & India have a perfect platform to launch from. Rohit Sharma has to up his scoring rate now given the amount & quality of batting waiting in the dressing room.

After 34 overs,India 174/1 ( Rohit Sharma 77 , Virat Kohli (C) 25)

The conditions have not really conduced to swing and seam at top pace, which makes Mohammad Amir’s bowling especially noteworthy. In a total of 6.1 overs bowled before the second rain interruption of the match, Amir has had 24 dot balls, that is, a full four overs not scored off. And his economy rate at the break is 3.7, a tribute to a controlled spell where he changed his bowling to suit the available conditions. 

He’s been well backed by Hasan Ali, whose figures are six overs, 21 runs at 3.5, with 24 dot balls as well. Between them, the two quicks have given away 5 fours in 12.1 overs; Wahab has given away five on his own in just four overs, as the antithesis to the other two.

Play resumes with Amir bowling the second ball of his incomplete over. No change in the field, which is still tight in the ring as he bowls to Virat; a bit of movement off the seam in this first ball, seaming away from Virat who helps it along to third man for one.

Amir to Rohit; the angle across and a very full length. Rohit can only defend and point, Shadab, is well in — plus he is one of the quicker fielders, comes in rapidly to stop the single. The next ball is again that full length, but on line of middle and off this time and Rohit defends in front of his pads.

Tries, to the next one, to run a single down to third man, but again Shadab intervenes, racing to his left to field at point. The last ball of the over, action replay, the push to point and Shadab quick there again, stops the single. 7 runs off the last 24 balls faced, by Rohit, and this is now getting to be a bit of a thing.

The players are back on the field. Mohammad Amir takes his mark, Virat Kohli on strike. Here we go….

A joke or two is never bad to lighten up the things. 

Pakistan huddles today: 7
Pakistan wickets today: 1#INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/iRBNUpfk3q

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) June 4, 2017

Latest update: The rain has stopped. It will be a 48-over game now.

Ayaz Memon analyses the match so far…

Just as they were preparing to remove the covering on the wicket, it’s begun to drizzle again, and the covers are back on the ground. It is 2.10 local time — the time set for resumption, but with the covers back, two things are certain: there is a further delay in play, and with it, there is the likelihood of another over or more being lost; from this point on, every few minutes will cost the game an over.

Covers coming back on as the rain returns. That sort of day. #IndvPak #CT17

— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) June 4, 2017

~4 bowlers can bowl 10 overs and one will have to bowl 9.~   ~The Pakistan players are out on the ground, practicing.~  It has started drizzling again. The wait continues.

Play will resume at 1840 IST. 49 overs a side game now.

The rain has stopped, play will resume in a bit, and the two interruptions have caused a reset by one over apiece — the match will now be 49 overs a side. Assuming — and this is the customary caveat when we are talking of England — that there are no more rain interruptions.

One of the hand-me-down verities of one day cricket is that if you have wickets in hand, you should be able to double the score at the 35 over mark.

India ticks the first of the boxes here — 9 wickets in hand is a luxurious position to be in. To realise the second part of that equation, though, one of the two batsmen will on resumption have to go for the bowling while the other rotates. And common sense dictates that Rohit, the senior partner here due to his longevity, is the logical choice to step on the accelerator.

Rohit has been under the weather a bit after Dhawan left — he was on 64 off 84 when his partner fell; since then he has scored 13 runs in 24 balls, and just seven runs in the last 18 balls faced. His body language has been reflective of the resulting frustration — winces as hard hits find close fielders; grimaces as he overhits the ball in his eagerness to beat the field…

Kohli has been batting pretty much to his norm — early in an innings he looks to get bat on ball, work it around, get his hands and feet moving, stay busy at the crease. It’s just about his third gear, and yet he is going 24 off 27 without seemingly being in any kind of hurry.

Pakistan appears to have recaliberated its game plan; their quicks have figured out there is no seam and swing for them. As a result they have changed their focus, concentrating on very tight lines and good lengths, bowling to the ring-fields set for them. Amir has five balls in the over interrupted by rain, and then three overs after that; Hasan Ali, whose control has been most impressive (6-0-21-0) has four left. The regular spinners Imad and Shadab have five between them and at a pinch Shoaib Malik, who gave away just 10 in his two, can sneak two or three inexpensive overs in.

Wahab Riaz, easily the most expensive of the Pakistan bowlers, has six overs left, and one of the keys for Pakistan in the last leg of this Indian innings is how quickly — if at all — Wahab can recover his lost radar.

When the game resumes, you expect fireworks — there are just 16 overs left after the incomplete over of Amir’s, and India will come out knowing it has to push hard. The joker in the pack? Lose wickets in a heap, and Duckworth Lewis resets dramatically in favor of the side batting second.

If ifs and buts were pots and pans, Navjot Sidhu used to say…. and as always happens with Sidhu, you stop paying attention, so I have no idea how that one ends. We’ll find out when play resumes.

The match might resume anytime soon. Stay with us for more updates. 

Looks like we will be back sooner rather than later. Rain stopped and supersoppers are out. #INDvPAK #CT17

— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) June 4, 2017

Covers coming off... #IndvPak #CT17 pic.twitter.com/xR32hrnOgk

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 4, 2017

Rain again, just when Kohli was starting to shift gears. Looking at the last few overs from Hasan & Amir, Sarfraz’s decision to use spinners in tandem when Kohli came into bat seems even more baffling. Pakistan will take solace in the fact that all teams batting first in this tournament have failed to capitalise on similar platforms.

The moment when young Shadab Khan broke the Rohit Sharma-Shikhar Dhawan partnership. 

Rohit Sharma has gone to sleep. He has scored 4 off the last 16 balls that he has faced. That’s extravagant considering India have 9 wickets in hand with 16.5 overs to go. 

Amir and Hassan Ali have generally bowled well, pulling things back a little. One wonders why Sarfraz let Kohli settle in for 16 balls before bringing in pace against him. Pakistan cricket never ceases to amaze and surprise!

After 33.1 overs, India are 173/1 (Rohit Sharma 77, Virat Kohli 24)

Amir to Rohit. Angled across off, left alone by Rohit who has been becalmed of late. But in any case, only one ball is bowled in this over; the rain comes pelting down, the players leave the field, the covers come on and there we go again — yet another interruption.

We have another rain interruption. The players are going off the field.

Driving rain and a stiff breeze at Edgbaston. Can only hope it blows away. #indvpak #CT17

— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) June 4, 2017

After 33 overs,India 173/1 ( Rohit Sharma 77 , Virat Kohli (C) 24)

Hasan continues after a quick drink. Rohit square drives, hits it well, but straight to point. Point, cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket all of them well inside the ring to cut off singles, lots of space behind their backs in the outfield but the bowlers aren’t giving the batsmen the length they need to get under a loft.

A drizzle begins as Hasan bowls; Rohit for three balls in succession hits hard at the ball, two on the off side, one on the on side — a cross batted heave — but fails each time to beat the close ring as Hasan bowls perfectly to his field. Ball four, the slower one, Rohit plays his square drive too early; thick under edge into the ground outside off and they sneak one before the keeper can run up. Hasan bounces Virat who shapes to hook, finds the ball climbing too high and bails, then asks the square leg umpire if that wasn’t over his head. Nope, says Dharamsena, so no extra there.

Single ends the over, a push on the on that Kohli lost control of; one hand comes off the bat handle, but they amble one before square leg can get in there. Good over again, just two in it. Very disciplined work this by the Pak quicks.

With just 4 fielders allowed outside the circle, and with Rohit Sharma and Kohli well settled, India must aim at getting 10 runs an over between 30th and 40th overs. That would give India a tremendous boost ahead of the final 10 overs. They have done all the hard work. Must now play smart cricket to squeeze Pakistan out of the match. Pakistan have been forced to bring back their best bowlers earlier than  ideal for them.

Time for a drink.

After 32 overs,India 171/1 ( Rohit Sharma 76 , Virat Kohli (C) 23)

Amir to Virat, a controlled on drive produces a diving stop by Wahab Riaz at mid on, just the single. To the next ball, Rohit does well, leaning away from a ball shorter in length and lifting around off, guides it with the horizontal bat behind point and works the single.

Amir tries Kohli out with the angle that takes the ball outside off; Kohli showing good technique, goes across his stumps as the bowler delivers, gets close to the ball, plays with bat close to the body to push firmly into the cover point region for one. Rohit digs out a good yorker on off, in his turn. Nice testing quick bowling this from Amir. Wahab produces another run and dive at mid on to keep a checked Rohit drive down to a single. 

Bouncer to end the over, and Virat was almost waiting for that — goes up on his toes, hits it up and over point to find the boundary with ease; that ball spoilt what was otherwise a tight over, and Kohli looks in good touch. Not that he is hitting well, which he is; more that he seems to be reading the bowler early, and easily — some of his shots have almost a hint of prediction about them.

Look, who is in the house!

The Master is cheering for #TeamIndia #CT17 #INDvPAK - @sachin_rt pic.twitter.com/DJgUhAQLZz

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 4, 2017

After 31 overs,India 163/1 ( Rohit Sharma 74 , Virat Kohli (C) 17)

Double change, Hasan Ali takes over from Shadab so now it is pace at both ends. Hasan as in his first spell bowling the fullish length on off — no visible movement in the air or off the wicket, just a tight, controlled line. Single to Rohit, a slightly misplayed defense by Rohit lands the next ball at his feet and his foot blocks it from rolling back onto the stumps.

Steady bowling this from Hasan — no slip, unlike for Amir, but then Hasan is bowling on off, not outside it. Rohit to the fifth ball gives vent to his frustration, tries a smacking lofted drive on the on, manages only to hit it straight to mid on. And then he sits under a sharp, surprise bouncer to end the over.

Just one run in the over, good return by Hasan to the bowling crease.

Double bowling change. Pakistan eyeing a wicket, Hasan Ali comes into the attack.

After 30 overs,India 162/1 ( Rohit Sharma 74 , Virat Kohli (C) 16)

Mohd Amir comes back into the attack, a slip comes in place with Kohli facing. Good quick first ball, angled across on off, Virat shuffles across the wicket, defends. The next ball is a shade shorter in length, and Virat opens his bat face, a twist of the wrist at the last moment really, and works one behind point.

Amir goes back to what he did at the start of the innings — to Rohit, the sharp angle, from wide of the crease over the wicket, across the right hander, leaving him outside off. Rohit though has learnt — keeps the bat tight to his body, refuses to reach for the ball, lets it go, twice on the trot, to the keeper.

Amir tries him with a fuller length on off and this time Rohit drives, but straight to cover and too firmly struck to work a single. Just the one run in Amir’s comeback over — nice, tight, controlled bowling, a few clicks below his top pace.

This is the contest of the match. Amir vs Kohli. Pakistan would have wanted it earlier.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 4, 2017

So, Sarfraz Ahmed finally decides to bring his strike bowler back into the attack. Mohammad Amir to bowl the 30th over. No slip in place, surprisingly.

After 29 overs,India 161/1 ( Rohit Sharma 74 , Virat Kohli (C) 15)

Shadab continues, into his 7th over. The steady drip-drip-drip of singles continued, almost as if it were all very mathematical. Both batsmen have picked out their spots, areas in the field where they know there is one for the taking, and are finding those areas clinically. Neither looks particularly challenged by the bowling though in this over, Shadab manages to find the inner edges of both batsmen with well-disguised wrong ‘uns. Two dot balls, four singles in the over.

As we head into the 30th over, you begin to wonder — what target has India settled on its mind, particularly after getting a feel of the pitch and with a rain interruption having occurred.

Kohli averages 85.40 against Pakistan spinners in ODIs & 28.85 against Pacers. Yet Sarfraz brought Imad back into the attack. This has been a very strange performance from Pakistan so far. There is too much reliance on an 18 year old & there seems to be no sensible planning.

Kohli must remember that he does not have AB de Villiers batting at the other end. He loves to run sharp singles and steal twos when settling down. Did it with alacrity with ABD in IPL. But Rohit Sharma may not be in the same league in running between the wickets. The last thing India’d need with them on top of the Pakistan bowling is a run out. Rohit is well settled and batting superbly. Barring Dhoni and may be Jadeja, none in this India team can keep up with Kohli in sharp running between the wickets

After 28 overs,India 157/1 ( Rohit Sharma 72 , Virat Kohli (C) 13)

Imad continuing, around the wicket still. No slip in place now as there was in the previous over and Kohli is savvy — he stays back, lets the ball come to him outside off, opens the bat face and runs it down to the third man boundary to break the sequence of singles.

And then Virat goes back to driving the singles in front of the wicket, this time to mid off. Rohit in his turn eases the single on the on side off the back foot, mid on is back at the edge of the circle and that is almost an invitation.

Imad tries tossing one up and Virat opens his shoulders a bit, launches into a drive. Can’t beat the fielder running around from mid off, but they get two to round off an over that produced ten runs.

Very hard to understand Sarfraz’s ploy here. Kohli is getting an easy eye in with Imad bowling. He averages in the mid 85.40 against Pakistani spinners according to statistician and journalist Mazher Arshad. Why wouldn’t he bowl with Amir or Hassan? They have both bowled four overs each and it will probably not be a bad idea if he brings one of them on to bowl at Kohli. Remember how much respect Kohli gave to Amir in the Asia Cup and ICC World T20 2016?

If it's out of the box to bring Imad on to a newly-arrived Kohli, then I want back in the box thanks.

— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) June 4, 2017

After 27 overs,India 147/1 ( Rohit Sharma 70 , Virat Kohli (C) 5)

Pakistan, with spin at both ends, seems content to control the flow of runs. India seems equally content to bide its time and take the game deep. Shadab the bowler, and both batsmen working him around off the front foot, not really hitting at anything, content instead to push and play checked drives into gaps and take the singles.

Slight signs of turn now for Shadab on the leg breaks, but it is turning very little, and rather slowly. Six balls, six singles — the last one, a Kohli push on the off that the point fielder got to quicker than expected, almost had Rohit run out; the direct throw missed and Rohit dived to make ground, but that was very tight.

After 26 overs,India 141/1 ( Rohit Sharma 67 , Virat Kohli (C) 2)

Imad brought back in for Shoaib Malik. tight off side field and a line tight around off stump and just outside, trying to deny Kohli hitting space. Tidy comeback over by Imad, three singles in it. India’s run rate now around 5.5 or just a tick under, in the back half of its innings.

Virat Kohli has scored 323 runs from seven matches at an average of 107.66 against Pakistan in ICC tournaments before today which is the most by any player against them.

This is a cracker of a pitch. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have given India a fantastic platform to go pile on the agony on Pakistan. The ball is doing very little off the pitch and India should get a total well in excess of 300. Rohit Sharma looks relaxed and very well settled. Should give skipper Kohli some time to settle down and unleash his flurry of shots. India bat deep and must now make it count after that great opening stand.

It was obviously going to be Shadab, Pakistan finally pick up their first wicket off Shadab’s worse ball yet. Pakistan can still find a way back into this match if they get Kohli early, it doesn’t look to good for the men in green at the moment. Imad is back into the attack, Pakistan probably trying to get an LBW decision against Kohli.

Imad Wasim reintroduced into the attack in the 26th over.

After 25 overs,India 138/1 ( Rohit Sharma 65 , Virat Kohli (C) 1)

Shadab into his 5th over. As against Malik, Dhawan tries to come running out at the bowler; no air on the ball though so he is forced to prod defensively. And then — this is why Rohit was in the previous over telling Dhawan to calm down — Dhawan tries to come down again, meets it on the full and swats it straight down the throat of deep midwicket, Azhar the fielder, for the easiest catch ever.

It was almost as if Rohit could sense this coming. 

And so India lose its first wicket almost exactly at the halfway mark, and out comes Virat Kohli to a welcoming roar. Good flighted ball greets him, Kohli inside edges a defense. He has a slip waiting.

Next ball, pushed to mid on and he runs with the shot, very quick across the turf, sneaks that single where there wasn’t any. And in his turn, Rohit square drives one to the sweeper on the off, three runs and a wicket for Shadab in a nice, tidy over.

Virat Kohli’s batting average against Pakistan spinners in ODIs is 85.50 while against Pakistan pacers his average is 28.85.

Since 2012, India have played 13 international matches against Pakistan and Virat Kohli has won Man of the Match award in five out of those 13 matches.

Great moment for young Shadab Khan. His first wicket against India comes off a full toss but it’s still a much-needed wicket and Pakistan will look to build on this. Tough ask though – King Kohli is the next man in! An over or two for Amir now, for sure?