Both India and Pakistan arrived at this hastily scheduled venue in Abu Dhabi to play for a noble cause - the earthquake victims in their respective countries. Tired as they were their fans can never get enough of them playing each other and the Arab Emirates has had a history of producing real nail biters when these two are involved. It started with India winning the toss in the first ODI and choosing to bat on what looked like a slow pitch. They experimented with a new opener in Utthapa with Dravid.

The pitch played predictably enough in the first spell as Dravid and Uttapha were treated to some wayward deliveries from Rana Naveed. Asif, on the other hand, kept things tight with his magnificent control of line and length. Rana, however, soon got with the program and had Uttapha caught at midwicket for 12. From then on the Pakistan team, in yet another transformation, suddenly started fielding like they should and first Dravid then Pathan were run out in quick succession. Yuvraj didn't fare much better and was gone for three into keeper Akmal’s hands off Rao Iftikhar. At 73/4 It looked like curtains but the youngsters Vengopal Rao and Suresh Raina shored up the debacle and took India a bit further. Rao notably made 61 valuable runs but was outdone by Afridi, who accounted for Raina, as well, to set in the rot.

Next to come, or rather go, was Dhoni bowled by Shoaib Malik on 3 and surprisingly again the last Indian pair were also run out. With a score of 197 to chase Pakistan had little trouble as they didn't lose early wickets and when they did were seen home easily with first Inzimam and Yousuf contributing an 86 run partnership and then Younis Khan playing a gem for 76 runs. He also hit the only six of the match as most batsmen failed to clear the ropes in this ODI, the slowness of the pitch and 75 meter boundaries contributing. Khan saw Pakistan home to win easily by 6 wickets. A bit of turnabout as Pakistan gave India a taste of their own medicine after being drubbed 4-1 by them at home.


2nd ODI


As the players trudged back in the next day for the second match, they looked visibly beat, what with the late almost midnight run back to their hotels for some sleep before they had to get back up early again for yet another ODI at this venue. Pakistan, who are not notably known all over the world for their fitness looked half asleep, as India started off things again with batting first. If only Pakistan had drawn on their experience with slow wickets from the just concluded successful tour to Sri Lanka in the first ODI. India hardly took a day to settle into the new conditions and replaced novice with destruction as they swapped Uttapha for Sehwag who came in like a man on a mission and literally tore the Pakistan attack to shreds “Veeru” style. Dravid, off course, making a silent and quick fifty by comparison. With the score at 138, it finally dawned on Inzimam to change the pace of the attack after seeing his pace bowlers fail miserably to do anything, he switched to Afridi and, voilà, Sehwag fell to a peach of a delivery, which took off his woodwork. Dhoni came out to the middle and he just took up from where Sehwag left off, although, admittedly, in even more style as he played some very Miandadesque shots past the keeper with a straight bat. Playing an unusual and composed knock he dabbed for singles, ran like a hare, and pretty soon had the Pakistan team looking at each other saying, “What you, too?” Inzimam, not knowing what else to do, went back to his premiere bowler Muhammad Asif who had Dravid bowled by a yorker just 8 short of his century, but he had already done his damage like Dhoni who went next, bowled by Rana off a slower ball. Yuvraj Singh came out and without any concern for the pitch’s slowness, went on a small rampage. He hit three consecutive fours and then flicked a six, with a casual air off the next ball to take 20 from 10 balls; guiding India to 269 for five off 50 overs.

Pakistan started batting on the same note they ended their bowling and with a hand from the ever famous Rudi Kurtzon, who would have another famous day, Pathan had Farhat lbw as he fell over a straight one. Inzimam, having one of his lesser days as strategist, looked at India’s batting lineup changes and said why not… along came afridi and in trademark style got cleaned all up by a classic indipper from Pathan. Next came the hero of the first ODI and tickled one from Ajit Agarkar to keeper Dhoni. Pakistan was now 45/3 and needing to go back to their hotel. Inzimam strode in and tried to undo some of the damage he had done by weird decisions while fielding by making a cool innings holding one end up, but they dropped like flies at the other end. First Shoaib Malik, who had no idea how he was caught by a stunner from Yuvraj diving low and right to hold perhaps one of the greatest catches I have seen in my viewing history. Then, Muhammad Yousuf, who seems blinded by his ever bushy beard as he smashed one to Raina at midwicket. Razzaq came in and predictably, after having a long chat with the by now perplexed Inzimam as to how to stay calm, tried to heave Powar out of the ground the next ball!!! Kaif held onto the simple catch at long on and the rot continued. Rana Naveed clattered a few here and there and made a quick fire 27 off 11 balls but he too went with a heave to the boundary. Pakistan were now 198 for 8 and India were baying at the gates of their fort, the fort being run out very easily by Dravid the next over as he took off for a non existent single from the runners end; off course, having no ability to turn back from his lumbering gait. When he went for 76, it took India about 9 more runs to clean up Iftikhar Anjum off an in cutter from Sreesanth.

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