Shikhar Dhawan falls for 73 to an unfortunate run-out. His 129-run stand with Virat Kohli is the highest for India vs Pakistan in a World Cup match. Catch live updates from Adelaide here.
Every word used to describe an India vs Pakistan clash has been over-exhausted by cricket players, pundits and fans in the past. Yet each time the two rivals face off, the tectonic shift in emotions reach unprecedented levels. This time, it is Adelaide's turn to host the biggest game cricket has to offer as India and Pakistan face off in the first Pool B battle of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Catch live updates from the match here and for all your views, mail us atmyvoice@ndtv.com. Best comments to feature here. (India vs Pakistan Live Scorecard | India vs Pakistan in World Cups | Schedule)
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(All times in IST):
1131: Dropped! Kohli gets a massive lifeline as Umar Akmal spills a big edge. India vice-captain on 76. Will he make Akmal the biggest villain in Pakistan today?
1125: Suresh Raina makes his way out to the middle.
1123: Out! Dhawan (73) was quite unstoppable today and a run-out perhaps was the only way he would go. He want for the run but confusion with Kohli - who was on strike - spells his doom. Pakistan celebrate and now eye a comeback.
1111: Experts and fans have been raving about the maturity shown by Indian batsmen today. After a horrible few matches Down Under in both Tests and ODIs, this has been a good batting display.
1105: Irfan gets his second warning for stepping onto the middle of the pitch in his follow-up.
1101:There is great rivalry between the two teams but the players have so far looked extremely professional. Apart from one minor instance where Dhawan stared at the bowler, there have been no unfortunate incident. Even when Afridi threw at the stumps but hit Kohli on his back, the Indian only smiled to show his pain.
1048: Fifty for Kohli! He took 60 deliveries to reach the milestone - a confident knock and a casual raise of the bat to acknowledge the cheer.
1043: Fifty for Dhawan! This is his 12th in ODIs and took him 54 balls. (Dhawan's fifty in pics)
1038: India complete 100 runs in 20.3 overs. Kohli whacks the ball through long-off to help India reach three-figure mark. He then drops on the backfoot to slap another four and enter 40s.
1029: Dhawan breezes into his 40s. This has been a solid knock but would count for little if he falters now. Indian fans would want him to last the distance.
1020: Wahab Riaz generating a lot of pace. None of his deliveries have been less than the 140kph mark. Pakistan have been using Afridi from the other end in a bid to not let the two batsmen settle in. Dhawan and Kohli though have stitched together a partnership which is in its 40s.
1018: At the drinks break, Irfan was seen receiving some massage from the Pakistani support staff. He didn't look in any evident discomfort though.
1015: India score 71 runs from first 15 overs. Rohit's wicket the only blemish so far.
1004: Kohli vs Afridi is a mouth-watering battle in any tournament and in any condition. The two are currently showing each other a lot of respect. Their duel is one of our five top duels to watch out for in this match.
1003: Kohli finds a fluent four. India bring up 50 in 12 overs.
1000: What do you make of India's batting so far? Has Rohit's wicket stunted a free-flowing start? Do Pakistani bowlers have an answer to Dhawan? Let us know my mailing at myvoice@ndtv.com or tweet using @cricketndtv.
0953: Kohli pulls but has to check the shot at the last minute. The ball almost flies to the fielder but drops in the nick of time to bring a loud sigh of relief from the Indian fans.
0945: Meanwhile, Dhawan is in a zone of his own. Regardless of what's happening at the other end, he is looking at ease.
0940: Kohli walks out to a loud cheer.
0939: Out! Rohit tries to do a Dhawan but gets an outside edge off Sohail and falls for 15. India: 34/1
0930: Dhawan pulls Irfan and gets a six for his efforts! Great shot from a man who is looking extremely confident today.
0921: Rohit slams a four off Irfan's bowling and he made it look absolutely effortless. So, both openers now with a boundary each.
0919: Dhawan drives Sohail for the first four of the innings. What a glorious shot and what a reception from the fans. It was almost like the Indian team has already won!
0915: Irfan getting dangerous bounce from the track. One of his deliveries surprises Dhawan but the top edge falls in no man's land.
0900: Sohail Khan is the bowler from the other end. He is a talented prospect but Dhawan and Rohit are established players who are known to shine in pressure situations.
0855: Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma open the innings. Mohammad Irfan, at seven feet one, takes the new ball for Pakistan.
0846: Pakistan XI: Ahmed Shehzad, Younis Khan, Harris Sohail, Misbah-ul-Haq, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Irfan
0845: India XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami
0843: India win toss, opt to bat vs Pakistan. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked.
0810: The biggest duels today? Here are popular guesses. Have your say at myvoice@ndtv.com
0805: NDTV's Nikhil Naz who is just outside Adelaide Oval says fans can been seen for over a kilometer all across the stadium. "This is not Australia anymore. The energy is electric," he says.
0800: A fantastic afternoon in Adelaide and it is not a city in Australia today! It is painted in the Indian tri-colour and the Pakistani green.
Adelaide is 9550 kilometers away from New Delhi - India's center of power. Add another 675 kilometers away from Pakistan's capital Islamabad. And yet, the two major countries of the subcontinent will transgress the global lengths and breadths to turn their attention towards Australia's fifth-largest city.
Geographical discourse used in cricketing context aside, India vs Pakistan is an epic clash. Period!
Team in Focus: India
World champions India are desperate to retain the Cup of Cups. Desperate, not eager or keen as much as simply desperate. And there's a reason why.
Form has been tardy, consistency has been a concern and the only win since the team's flight Down Under in November has been against Afghanistan in a warm-up match. They are world champions but they hardly look the part. (TOP 5 CLASHES)
What works for Team India:
The biggest advantage that the Indians have over their Pakistani counterpart is that they have never lost to them in a World Cup. Regardless of how close and tense the matches have been, the years 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 have seen the tri-colour flying high and handsome.
If past records though could win a cricket match, India would be unbeatable.
Players however can make a team unbeatable and that's where the likes of captain MS Dhoni and vice-captain Virat Kohli come in. India's strength lies in their batting and while Kohli can set the stage on fire, Dhoni can spark the final pyrotechnics with his late blitz. The absence of Pakistan's spin sensation Saeed Ajmal and an injured Mohammad Hafeez can ease the pressure.
What doesn't work for India:
Star players have not been in the best of form. Opener Shikhar Dhawan in particular has struggled on uncharacteristically flat Aussie pitch. A lackluster top-order has repeatedly banked on middle and lower-order lineup to throw the innings a lifeline. Ordinary batting can be devastating.
What is surely a concern is the bowling. India's pace battery suffered a crucial blow when Ishant Sharma limped out even before the tournament began. The remaining bowlers definitely have a right to be in the team but do they have the might to exert pressure on Pakistani batsmen who are well-known to crack?
Team in Focus: Pakistan
Ask any Pakistan fan why the national team has failed against India in World Cups and the standard reply is the team's overall record against the rivals. That Pakistan have won 72 duels as against India's 50 does lend a lot of credence to this line of argument. But as with India's record in World Cups, past numbers cannot guarantee wins to Pakistan either.
What works for Pakistan:
The biggest cheer in the Pakistan camp comes from the fact that the Indians are not in the best of form. Not that Pakistan team itself is in great shape but watching the rival's dismal performance in Australia can surely boost morale. "They (Pakistan's World Cup 2015 players) can be the team that breaks the record. They could be the ones that make history," chief selector Moin Khan said recently.
A look at the lineup will reveal that while many superstars are missing, there is no dearth in talent. The main weapon would be the bowling and that's where Mohammad Irfan would be absolutely pivotal. Such is his prowess that his reputation precedes him and the Indian were seen batting against deliveries from a greater height than usual during their net session. Just for the record, Irfan is a seven feet one inch tall and a pacer at that!
Add 'Boom-Boom' Shahid Afridi and experienced captain-cum-finisher Misbah-ul-Haq and one has the recipe for success.
What doesn't work for Pakistan:
For all their raw talent, Pakistani cricketers are also comparatively more susceptible to succumbing under pressure. "India have won all their World Cup matches against us because they played well and deserved to win," admitted Moin. Even former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar told NDTV that Pakistan cricketers would be better off if they don't let pressure get to them. "Both teams are out of form but Pakistan cricketers have been guilty of feeling the pressure (when playing against India in a World Cup) more than us," he said.
If the team buckles, the dismay of not having Ajmal and Hafeez can be felt even bigger than it already is, going forward in the tournament.
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