Read Andy Bull’s piece from Edgbaston:
Here’s the report from Edgbaston:
Updated
Fair play to Pakistan fans – they’re not lacking a sense of humour
@ajarrodkimber would be heartbroken too. Get used to it buddy. #PakvInd pic.twitter.com/XTQ7XnMDG5
— Faisal Kalim (@fslklm) June 4, 2017
Man of the match @YUVSTRONG12 has dedicated his performance to victims of last night's atrocity in London. pic.twitter.com/ev5YFksuZ4
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 4, 2017
This is the sad thing
India arguably didn't get out of 3rd gear and still never looked like doing anything other than winning v v comfortably.
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) June 4, 2017
India-Pakistan used to be a hall-of-fame tussle. Now it’s a gross mismatch.
Happy hunting ground
4 - @BCCI have secured a 4th consecutive win at @edgbaston (2 v Eng, 2 v Pak); their last defeat at the venue coming in 2007. Victory. #CT17 pic.twitter.com/41slZzg3OJ
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 4, 2017
Updated
INDIA BEAT PAKISTAN BY 124 RUNS!
WICKET! Hasan Ali c Dhawan b Umesh (Pakistan 164 all out)
24th over: Hasan Ali is squared up by some nasty pace and bounce to give a leading edge to Dhawan in the covers. Wahab Riaz will not bat because of the ankle injury he sustained at the end of the India innings so Pakistan are all out. What a horror show. India were too good for them but far from their best. That underlines the gulf between these two sides.
Updated
WICKET! Amir c Jayant b Umesh (Pakistan 163-8)
Yadavs do for Shadab. Tries to punt Umesh over cover but finds cover.
Updated
33rd over: Pakistan 162-7 (Shadab 14, Amir 7) Three runs. I feel like I’ve typed that a thousand times over this innings. At least now it doesn’t matter.
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
32nd over: Pakistan 159-7 (Shadab 13, Amir 5) Haha what a ridiculous drop! Shadab Khan tries to go after Yadav – first over of his new spell – but skies high towards Jayant Yadav at cover. It’s catching practice. In fact, it’s not catching practice, because you’d usually replicate something tougher. Somehow, Yadav drops it. He doesn’t even bother to clean up after himself. Pakistan are on the end of a shellacking to an India side who haven’t really tried.
31st over: Pakistan 154-7 (Shadab 12, Amir 2) Two from the over. Not enough.
30th over: Pakistan 152-7 (Shadab 11, Amir 1) I’ll let you know if anything noteworthy crops up. At the moment, it’s a bit like when those American girls are trying to run away from Jason Voorhees but keep falling over themselves. The end is nigh. 137 needed from 11 overs...
Pakistan playing out of the box cricket pic.twitter.com/W2pzFDTiMt
— Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) June 4, 2017
WICKET! Sarfraz Ahmed c Dhoni b Pandya 15 (Pakistan 151-7)
Low-value option taken by Sarfraz as he looks to guide one down to third man. He gets nothing more than a nick on the ball and Dhoni dives forward to take the catch.
29th over: Pakistan 146-6 (Sarfraz 11, Shadab 11) Hold on... over ends with Shadab sweeping Jadeja for six over wide mid on and then finishing with a wider slash through midwicket for four.
28th over: Pakistan 136-6 (Sarfraz 11, Shadab 1) Sarfraz or bust. Unless the 18-year-old Shadab Khan can pull off a miracle. Big-hitting leggie? Now that does ring a bell.
Proud to have been blocked by Hafeez.
— Mahwash Ajaz (@mahwashajaz_) June 4, 2017
WICKET! Imad c Yadav b Pandya 0 (Pakistan 135-6)
First-baller for Imad Wasim. Fair play to him, though: tries to lash Pandya through cover. Straight to Yadav, who completes the catch.
Updated
27th over: Pakistan 134-5 (Sarfraz 10, Imad 0) Pakistan fans, we’re here for you. The hugs are free.
Jadeja has been involved in 4 of the 5 dismissals so far #INDVPAK #CT17
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) June 4, 2017
Updated
WICKET! Hafeez c Kumar b Jadeja 33 (Pakistan 131-5)
Jadeja has another. Another falling with an unconvincing sweep. Hafeez, having seen off two, falls on his sword.
Updated
26th over: Pakistan 131-4 (Hafeez 33, Sarfraz 7) A brace of twos start the over but neither are particularly convincing. There’ll be another run out soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that... 158 needed from 15. Mad.
25th over: Pakistan 123-4 (Hafeez 27, Sarfraz 6) Cute shot from Sarfraz, down on one knee and helping Jadeja around the corner for four. India settling into that mood they get in during these situations where they can wait for the mistakes and take every chance that comes their way.
24th over: Pakistan 117-4 (Hafeez 26, Sarfraz 1) Even when India’s fielding standards drop, they can still rely on some individuals for a bit of magic. The pick-up and throw from Jadeja was perfect. Malik was hitting them so well. Hafeez has two-fer...
WICKET! Malik run out Jadeja 15 (Pakistan 114-4)
Oh what nonsense is this! Malik drops behind point for a single. Was there one? Probably. Hafeez came and then stopped. Malik was sent back. Ravi Jadeja had a stump to aim at. Bullseye.
Updated
Elsewhere, Yorkshire have pumped Lancashire in the Roses match inside three days. Will Macpherson has the details :
23rd over: Pakistan 113-3 (Hafeez 23, Malik 15) Looks like Hafeez has wised up (too little too late?). Jadeja gives it a bit of flight outside off stump and Hafeez skips down to chip him over cover for four. Cracking shot. Oh wow... now a HUGE SIX from Malik! Not even in the same postcode as the ball, but uses his hands to thump it high and handsome right back over Jadeja’s head and under the covers in front of the sight screen who, thankfully, look like they are staying put for the rest of the evening. Glorious sunshine in Birmingham right now.
22nd over: Pakistan 102-3 (Hafeez 18, Malik 9) Shoaib Malik has got the memo. Off the mark with a glorious square drive and then a flick around the corner off Pandya. Hopefully he fills Hafeez in, too.
21st over: Pakistan 91-3 (Hafeez 16) 10th career ODI half-century for Azhar but it’s of little use as he holes out later in the over. Shoaib Malik joins Hafeez. “I can’t help but think Mohammad Hafeez has played a part in Azhar’s dismissal,” says Ricky Ponting. Agreed.
WICKET! Azhar c Pandya b Jadeja 50 (Pakistan 91-3)
Fifty and out for Azhar Ali. Desperate to get a move on – 10 overs too late – he sweeps high and not far enough to square leg, where Hardik Pandya is lurking to take a simple catch.
Updated
20th over: Pakistan 88-2 (Azhar 49, Hafeez 14) Five dot balls from Hafeez against Pandya. I was probably being harsh before when I said Pandya isn’t good enough to concede just three off an over of his bowling. But he’s definitely not worth of leaking just one!
19th over: Pakistan 82-2 (Azhar 49, Hafeez 13) Oooo a boundary. Remember them? The first in 13 balls. It was a short ball from Jadeja that Hafeez was quick to read and shuffle his feet to open up the leg side. Four through square leg taken with glee. Still, though... 202 required from 22 is too many runs for too few overs.
18th over: Pakistan 82-2 (Azhar 49, Hafeez 8) Another nothing over from Pakistan, all things considered. Pandya’s not good enough to get away with conceding just three runs an over. Need a boundary an over, really and truly. India happy to hold, here.
17th over: Pakistan 79-2 (Azhar 48, Hafeez 6) Ravi Jadeja into the attack and things happen. Strong LBW shout against Azhar – back foot, feet rooted – is adjudged too high. Sweep next delivery balloons up just short of third man. Nine runs the previous over undone by just three from this one. Far too conservative from Hafeez, who is currently six from 12...
16th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Azhar 47, Hafeez 4) You can set your watch by these misfields. This time it’s Yuvraj Singh at third man. Hafeez uppercuts a short delivery from Pandya. There’s no great pace on the ball and the bounce is kind to him, yet he’s unable to keep it in play.
24,156 the official attendance today. Highest attendance for an ODI at Edgbaston. #INDvPAK
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) June 4, 2017
15th over: Pakistan 67-2 (Azhard 42, Hafeez 2) Hafeez off the mark, punching Umesh Yadav through extra cover for a couple. The rate has climbed about 8.5-an-over which, by my calculations, makes the three runs from this over “not ideal”.
14th over: Pakistan 64-2 (Azhar 40, Hafeez 0) DROP! Hardik Pandya’s into the attack – right arm optimistic – and Azhar decides to give him the charge. But he miscues down the ground, where Bhuvi Kumar is steaming in from the boundary sponge. He gets to the ball but it clangs off his wrists and onto the turf. Bad miss.
Meanwhile, for those of you wondering just how good Geoff Boycott’s memory is...
I didn't, I got 48 runs. https://t.co/HKmjsy5cEL
— Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) June 4, 2017
13th over: Pakistan 61-2 (Azhar, 37, Hafeez 0) Another misfield! Jayant Yadav scurries across from deep third man to cut off a slash from Azam. He dives early and ends up overshooting the ball. Comical. Azam’s not laughing, mind – he’s back in the hutch. Mo Hafeez comes out, 186 ODIs now under his belt and 11 hundreds so far. Prior to this over, Azhar Ali had his right calf strapped.
Azhar Ali now receiving treatment in the middle. Pakistan with as many injuries in this match as wickets taken.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) June 4, 2017
WICKET! Azam c Jadeja b Yadav 8 (Pakistan 61-2)
Very good grab from Ravi Jadeja at backward point. Pace on the ball from Yadav and then some from Azam, who windmills into a cut shot that nestles into the hands of Jadeja, almost sending him off his feet.
Updated
12th over: Pakistan 57-1 (Azhar 37, Babar 4) Another misfield from India – the third so far – as Kumar fluffs a routine gather at catching midwicket. None becomes two. And they finish with one that should be none... Azam drops at his feet and sets off. Azhar trusts him. Bumrah swoops, gathers, throws under arm but misses, as Azhar comes sliding into shot. Would have been a goner, I’ve sure of it.
11th over: Pakistan 51-1 (Azhar 36, Azam 0) Umesh Yadav back into the attack. “Change of ends, change of luck” says Warnie. FYI, Warne’s tormenter in chief, Michael Butler, is editing this fine site today (*waves at Michael*). Yadav beats Babar Azam at the start of the over which finishes as a maiden. A bit tentative but solid bat on ball from BA. Butler-esque, I’m sure you’ll all agree
10th over: Pakistan 51-1 (Azhar 36, Azam 0) Class from Azhar. Bumrah digs one in his half and Azhar gives it the up-and-over – bat angled high, ramping away and beating deep third man on the inside for four.
9th over: Pakistan 47-1 (Azhar 32) Shot of the day – no swing from Kumar and Azhar Ali shapes up nicely behind it to drive straight down the ground. But they’ve lost the a wicket – last ball of the Power Play – which brings Babar Azam to the crease. Just seen a replay of the dismissal – it was very out.
WICKET! Kumar LBW Shehzad 12 (Pakistan 46-1)
I thought that was high and maybe even outside the line, but after a long discussion with Azhar, Shehzad doesn’t review. India have the breakthrough.
Updated
8th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Azhard 24, Shehzad 11) Shehzad so comfortable going through third man, especially with the pace of Bumrah, that he may as well look at real estate in the area. Box office end to the over: Azhar hits on the up over the top for four down the ground. Then, after a bunt to cover, barges into Bumrah who couldn’t get out of the way. Hardik Pandya gathers, throws... and misses! Azhar had given up the goose. Wonder if India would have upheld the appeal if he hit?Drama averted.
Updated
7th over: Pakistan 32-0 (Azhar 19, Shehzad 10) Hello... a couple of misfields from Dhawan and Jadeja – two of the best in this India XI – give up singles through misfields. Maybe there’s something in the Gatorade. Tidy tip and run through cover from Azhar brings a couple, too.
6th over: Pakistan 27-0 (Azhard 16, Shehzad 8) Jasprit Bumrah comes into the attack. An awkward bowler to face, what with his nonexistent front arm and surprise nip. Distracting moustache, too. Not for Azhar, though, who powers a hellacious cut in front of point for four to end the over. Some important information below (remember, Pakistan’s score would need to be above par to win):
D/L par score if it doesnt rain again.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 4, 2017
For 20 overs: 109/0, 116/1, 125/2, 137/3, 152/4, 172/5, 196/6, 223/7, 254/8, 274/9. #IndvPak #CT17
5th over: Pakistan 22-0 (Azhar 12, Shehzad 7) We’re back. Bhuvi bowls on a good length, Azhar punches off a strong base. No run. Over.
Players and, more importantly, the sun have come out. Bhuvi Kumar has one ball left in his fifth over.
For the next inevitable round of delays, here’s a podcast with Surrey and England’s Gareth Batty on his career, the state of spin and why England aren’t far away from an Australia-style pay dispute of their own...
By the way, if the chase is reduced to 30 overs, the revised target will be 229.
Mother Nature, sort yourself out
Hey kids let's play a fun game called Guess Which Godforsaken Hellmouth is Birmingham pic.twitter.com/OjTe6r7Hd0
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) June 4, 2017
PLAY TO RESTART IN 12 MINUTES – PAKISTAN REQUIRE 289 FROM 41 OVERS
Our man in Brum has the finer details:
4.55pm restart, innings cut to 41 overs with Pak (22-0 from 4.5) chasing 289. 7.24pm cut off, by which time we need 20 overs bowled. Mmkay?
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) June 4, 2017
While we wait, head over to the county blog for a quick-fix.
Yesterday Jonathan Trott was in Birmingham with a family issue. Warwickshire fell to 49-6. Now he has a ton from No8 https://t.co/AskkxpndXa
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 4, 2017
Rain stops play. Again :(
5th over: Pakistan 22-0 (Azhar 12, Shehzad 7) Five balls – a play and a miss, an LBW shout and a leg bye among them – and we’re off for the heaviest rain of the day. After four-and-a-bit minutes, we’ll start losing overs. From what I understand, if Pakistan are no wickets down after 20 overs, they would need more than 103 for the win.
87 - @WahabViki conceded 87 runs in his 8.4 overs, the most expensive figures in Champions Trophy history. Costly. #INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/PNEZyCxj8D
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 4, 2017
Updated
4th over: Pakistan 21-0 (Azhar 12, Shehzad 7) Eeeesh beauty from Yadav. Quick, bat-inducing, movement off the pitch, outside edge spared. Just. Azhar Ali did well not to follow it. Perhaps flustered, he pulls Yadav into his hip. Unperturbed, he whips the next short ball high and in front of square for four.
3rd over: Pakistan 15-0 (Azhar 7, Shehzad 6) An excellent bit of fielding in the deep from Jasprit Bumrah, diving to save a run on the square leg boundary, already has India up in that department. The rough cost of Pakistan’s two drops – Kohli and Yuvraj – is 80. Sound start from these two. Vijayendra Singh has asked for some DLS figures. Will do my best to get my head around it, what with the various fluctuations upon the fall of wickets. Expect your first update after 10 overs. That being said, just spied some Mordor-esque clouds on the horizon...
Updated
2nd over: Pakistan 10-0 (Azhar 3, Shehzad 5) Umesh Yadav, brisk, pearly whites, takes the new ball from the other end. Short and wide, though, allowing Shehzad to stand tall and let his hands flow through a cut behind point for four. The rain will have slicked the pitch and, a few more hits along the damp outfield will curtail any swing. Pull around the corner for one, despite a misfield, and Shehzad keeps the strike.
1st over: Pakistan 4-0 (Azhar 2, Shehzad 0) Bhuvneshwar Kumar opens the innings with a wide and Pakistan are off! Pristine white seam presented throughout and a healthy bit of swing out and in to the right-hander. Azhar Ali watches one all the way in front of his toes, before bringing the bat down to punch two through midwicket.
Love everything about this. If you can source an invite to an Indian or Pakistani wedding, make sure you push through to the end of the night and take notes.
India and Pakistan fans party during the rain delay at Edgbaston https://t.co/VZNqIt4917 #INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/Z4Y2bueV64
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 4, 2017
Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad stride out to begin Pakistan’s chase of 324. Ramiz says they need to get off to a good start. In other news, water is wet.
First email of the stint comes from Honor Harger: “Wow. Hardik Panda has an air of supreme, almost supernatural, confidence when he bats. He seems not to feel pressure. I’ve only seen one other batsman play like that with consistency - Adam Gilchrist.”
High praise indeed. It was remarkable. A nugget from journalist and statistician Mazher Arshad: since 2000, Pandya is just the second Indian to hit three sixes in as many balls in an ODI since... Zaheer Khan against Zimbabwe! The boy’s also got hips and he’s not afraid to use them...
Hardik Pandya in that last over. pic.twitter.com/UhIUcfZJPz
— Sidhu (@sidhuwrites) June 4, 2017
PAKISTAN REQUIRE 324 FROM 48 OVERS
Afternoon all. Hope we’re sitting comfortably. Pakistan fans, this is a safe place. Remember, a frustration shared is a frustration halved. India blitzed that ending but Pakistan were absolutely dreadful at the death, conceding 72 off the last four overs with an assortment of full tosses and needless bumpers. The adjustment, as you can see above, means Pakistan need just under seven an over for victory.
10 to go and India were 202-2. From there two woeful drops, two bowlers off injured, power hitting from YS and VK, finish on 319-3 (48)
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) June 4, 2017
Shower me with your emails and tweets. Hopefully we get no more rain interruptions. Unofficially, we should be underway in just over 10 minutes...
48th over: India 319-3 (Kohli 81, Pandya 20) The last over of the innings, bowled by Imad Wasim, disappears for 23! Pandya creams the first three balls of the over into the crowd, taking him to 19 not out off four balls. This is staggering stuff! He misses a vigorous slog-sweep and is hit in the chest, prompting an LBW review from Pakistan. It was umpire’s call on height, so he stays not out. It’s pouring down now but the umpires want to finish the innings. Pandya gets a single, which leaves Kohli one last delivery to face - he screams it over extra cover for four. Of course he does.
That was a stunning end to the innings from India, who scored 89 off the last six overs and 72 off the final four. Kohli, so sluggish at the start, belted 36 off the last 11 deliveries of his innings. We don’t know yet if Pakistan’s target will be adjusted because of Duckworth/Lewis. But we can say, without fear of contradiction, that their target is enormous. Thanks for your company, Vish will be with you for the Pakistan innings. Bye!
Updated
47th over: India 296-3 (Kohli 77, Pandya 1) Wahab’s spell of nought for 88 is the most expensive in Champions Trophy history, for a few days anyway. All of a sudden, Kohli is batting like a lord: he plays consecutive lofted drives over the off side off Hasan, the first for four and the second for six. Glorious batting. Kohli scored 45 from his first 57 deliveries; he’s scored 32 from his last 10.
Updated
WICKET! India 285-3 (Yuvraj LBW b Hasan 53)
Hasan ends Yuvraj’s cameo with an excellent delivery: almost yorker length and thudding into the pad as Yuvraj flicked across the line. It was given not out - no idea why - but Pakistan successfully reviewed the decision. Yuvraj goes for a coruscating 32-ball 53.
Updated
46th over: India 285-2 (Kohli 60, Yuvraj 53) This is Virat Kohli. He has gone straight from first gear to top gear, taking Wahab for 14 for three balls with a steer to third man, a clip over midwicket and then a mighty blow into the crowd at long-on. A single gives Yuvraj his turn, and he top-edges a pull for four to bring up a blistering half-century from 29 balls. Now Wahab is down, nursing both a sore ankle and figures of 8.5-0-88-0. He fell over during his delivery stride and is receiving treatment from the physio. He’s going to limp off as well, so Pakistan have lost both Wahab and Mohammad Amir. Imad Wasim bowls the last ball of an over that has already cost 21. It’s a dot ball.
45th over: India 264-2 (Kohli 52, Yuvraj 48) Yuvraj again punishes Hasan’s attempted yorker, pinging it down the ground for for on the full. I just don’t know why the yorker has gone out of fashion in one-day cricket. Hasan drags his length back to Kohli, who flashes a slower ball over long on for six. That brings up a laboured fifty from 58 balls. He might make up for that lost time in the next three overs. Yuvraj completes a brutal over - 17 from it - with a boundary to wide long-on.
44th over: India 247-2 (Kohli 44, Yuvraj 39) Amir bowls one ball of his ninth over and then goes down. After a bit of treatment he walks off the field, so Wahab will complete the over. He does a good job of it, with no boundaries and four runs from his five deliveries. He should have had the wicket of Kohli, but the substitute Faheem Ashraf dropped another relatively straightforward running chance. Actually that was a tougher catch than I realised - it went very high, and he was running in at felt pelt from the midwicket boundary.
Updated
43rd over: India 242-2 (Kohli 42, Yuvraj 37) An attempted yorker from Hasan is blitzed whence it came for four by Yuvraj, who then pulls mightily into the crowd for six! This is a terrific cameo, 37 from 23 balls, and it’s given India a chance of reaching 300.
Updated
42nd over: India 230-2 (Kohli 41, Yuvraj 26) Amir, who has bowled excellently, replaces Wahab, who has bowled. Yuvraj picks a slower bouncer and belabours it for four; he looks really dangerous.
41st over: India 222-2 (Kohli 39, Yuvraj 20) Hasan Ali replaces Shadab. Kohli still hasn’t quite got going, with only two boundaries in his innings. Yuvraj already has more than that, thanks to a fortunate inside edge for four from a lovely yorker. Kohli has 39 from 47 balls, Yuvraj 20 from 16.
Updated
40th over: India 213-2 (Kohli 35, Yuvraj 15) Wahab almost gets through an over without conceding a boundary - but then Yuvraj slams the last ball through the covers for four.
39th over: India 206-2 (Kohli 34, Yuvraj 9) A lovely googly from Shadap forces Yuvraj to slice a drive towards long-off ... where Hasan Ali drops a relatively simple chance. Oh, Pakistan! Still, a good end to a very promising spell from the teenager Shadab: he finishes with figures of 10-0-52-1
38th over: India 202-2 (Kohli 32, Yuvraj 7) Yuvraj gets his first boundary, driving Wahab wide of mid-on. Wahab has had a miserable day: 6-0-55-0.
37th over: India 194-2 (Kohli 30, Yuvraj 1) The new batsman is Yuvraj.
WICKET! India 192-2 (Rohit run out 91)
Rohit Sharma is run out nine short of a century. He was called through for a quick off-side single by Kohli and, though he slid his bat in before Sarfraz gathered Babar’s short throw and broke the stumps, the bat bounced up and that cost him his wicket.
Updated
36th over: India 189-1 (Rohit 89, Kohli 27) Wahab replaces Amir and immediately beats Rohit’s outside edge. Rohit is batting like Andrew Miller. Correction: Rohit was batting like Andrew Miller. He has just hit Wahab for 10 in two balls, a beautiful off-drive followed by a big pick up over the midwicket boundary.
35th over: India 176-1 (Rohit 77, Kohli 27) Shadab Khan returns to the attack. His name brings to mind Shadab Kabir, the young batsman who played in England in 1996. I’ve just looked up Shadab Kabir, to bathe in the nostalgia of that magical summer, and found that he had a relatively unfulfilling ODI career. Look at this. Anyway, Shadab hurries through a good over to Kohli that costs only two runs. India have scored 15 off the last six, which is a tremendous effort from Pakistan.
34th over: India 174-1 (Rohit 77, Kohli 25) Amir bowls the last five balls of his seventh over. Kohli gets a single straight away but Rohit continues to struggle; he’s scored three runs from his last 18 balls and almost runs himself out off the last delivery of the over. Kohli rightly sent him back and he had to dive to make his ground.
Play will resume at ... now! Oh splendid. The match has been reduced to 48 overs.
“Ahoy hoy,” says Jim Crane. “Hope this game is not curtailed by the weather; the warm comfort of cricket and the wonderful craziness of the India/Pakistan rivalry are the perfect antidote to events in the grown-up world. On a similar theme of things that make life worth living (feel free to adopt Woody Allen in ‘Manhattan’ voice) are you familiar with this slice of absolute loveliness (knowing your fondness for Radiohead an all)?”
Oooh, I wasn’t, thank you. It’ll never top The Greatest Cover of All Time, but it is lovely.
“While they’re currently a much better ODI side, not sure where this idea has come from that India have been far superior to Pakistan in ODIs in recent years,” says Faisal Ali. “Since 2000, which counts as the modern era, it is in fact 25-24 in Pakistan’s favour. And Pakistan triumphed in the last bilateral series between the two countries which was in India in early 2014.”
I’m all for flogging the ignorant where possible but in this case weren’t people saying India were superior in global tournament rather than in all matches?
It’s raining, again. Play won’t be restarting at 2.10pm.
ICYMI
The #SLvSA @Nissan Play of the Day was this superb run-out by South Africa's @ABdeVilliers17! Congrats! https://t.co/omsDy28GGv #CT17 #POTD pic.twitter.com/urVAxfa0gM
— ICC (@ICC) June 4, 2017
“What I have seen from Pakistan’s body language is a team without any plan or homework on how to take on their rivals,” says Dr Ali Gillani. “They are disorganized and captained by a duffer who shouldn’t have been made the captain of the national cricket team.”
You’re accusing a Mickey Arthur team of not doing their homework?
Updated
Arf!
Tell me more about things our cricketers shouldn't be doing in England. You know, from your experience of playing in England. https://t.co/bXITc97pm3
— Ahad Shafqat (@ahadrx7) June 4, 2017
Play will resume at 2.10pm local time, with 49 overs per side.
“It might be the mental stress but Pakistan somehow never look comfortable against India,” says Saad Sheikh. “They take a wicket but then cease to be aggressive and let another partnership flourish. Time to attack, not stay on the back foot. Wahab Riaz is almost identical. He’ll bowl a peach or two and then stray off for the next four to five deliveries. Kohli reaches 25, he might as well go on to make a hundred. Really need some unsettling and aggressive bowling from Pakistan. I think Shadab could be given another two or three overs here, because I don’t think he’ll do too well against Singh or Dhoni should Pakistan get another wicket (unlikely at the moment). But the rain may do the job - GET AMIR TO BOWL NOW!”
An email! “A very good start for India but with the run-rate not rocketing (at the moment), this game is by no means beyond Pakistan as some on Twitter seem to be thinking,” says Rudrajoy Chakraborty. “I am a little befuddled by Pakistan’s tactics but will see. Where have good swing bowlers gone these days except maybe in our attack (though less so when Jimmy isn’t playing)?”
The probably isn’t the bowlers so much as the balls. They’ve gone straight.
Rain stops play
33.1 overs over: India 173-1 (Rohit 77, Kohli 24) The players are going off. It doesn’t seem too bad, however, so it should hopefully be a short break.
33rd over: India 173-1 (Rohit 77, Kohli 24) A sassy, savvy over from the impressive Hasan Ali, including another bouncer past Rohit’s head. Two from it.
Updated
Incredible scenes as Michael Carrick's name is misspelt on his own testimonial team sheet pic.twitter.com/0Oho7KiFkp
— Amitai Winehouse (@awinehouse1) June 4, 2017
Updated
WHY IS EVERYONE SENDING ME BLANK EMAILS?
32nd over: India 171-1 (Rohit 76, Kohli 23) An otherwise good over from Amir is tarnished by a poor last delivery that Kohli uppercuts easily for four.
31st over: India 163-1 (Rohit 74, Kohli 17) Hasan Ali replaces Shadab Khan, who bowled a promising spell of 7-0-41-1, and bowls a cracking over that includes a bouncer that forces Rohit to duck. Just two from the last two overs since Pakistan reverted to pace.
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
30th over: India 162-1 (Rohit 74, Kohli 16) Mohammad Amir comes back, just in time to spot the horse in the distance as it bolts out of sight. Pakistan have the best tools to take middle-over wickets - pace, wristspin, like in 1992 - but it doesn’t happen for them as often as you’d expect. Wahab bowling so poorly hasn’t helped them today. Amir has been much better, and returns with an excellent over that costs just one run.
29th over: India 161-1 (Rohit 74, Kohli 15) This is a bit too easy for India. I thought Pakistan might invite Wahab to raise hell when Kohli came in. Instead he has been able to get his eye in with a series of no-risk singles off the spinners.
28th over: India 157-1 (Rohit 72, Kohli 13) Ten from Imad’s over, including a classy first boundary from Kohli that’s steered to third man.
27th over: India 147-1 (Rohit 70, Kohli 5) Shadab bowls his sixth over and concedes six singles. The last of those was really tight, with Rohit diving to make his ground. I think he would have been out had Imad Wasim hit the stumps from cover.
How about spinners from both ends? 😂 https://t.co/XpzuXMaVeH
— Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) June 4, 2017
26th over: India 141-1 (Rohit 67, Kohli 2) Imad Wasim returns, which must be a plan for Kohli. He bowls very straight to the right-handers from around the wicket and concedes just three singles in that over.
25th over: India 138-1 (Rohit 63, Kohli 1) Shadab’s reward for taking that wicket is the chance to bowl at Virat Kohli. With rewards like that, who needs rewards?
WICKET! India 136-1 (Dhawan c Azhar b Shadab 68)
Shadab gets an important wicket for Pakistan. It wasn’t the best ball - a full toss that Dhawan belted straight to deep midwicket - but he won’t lose sleep over that. Dhawan goes for a classy 65-ball 68.
Updated
24th over: India 135-0 (Rohit 62, Dhawan 68) Four more for Dhawan, swept round the corner off Shoaib Malik. He has 68 from 62 balls, Rohit 63 from 82. India could get a monstrous score here.
Updated
23rd over: India 129-0 (Rohit 62, Dhawan 63) Shadab has bowled pretty well so far, with just one rank delivery that Rohit pumped for six. Rohit inside-edges a good googly for a single, one of four in the over. Well bowled Shadab.
22nd over: India 125-0 (Rohit 60, Dhawan 61) Shoaib Malik, the wise old offspinner, replaces Wahab Riaz. A low-key over goes for four singles. India are well on course for 300, maybe 350.
It tells you how long @realshoaibmalik has been playing that he isn't just the highest run-getter but the leading wicket-taker in this team!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 4, 2017
I’ve received lots of blank emails in the last hour, but very few with actual words in. Don’t be shy, I’m not Scarlett Johansson.
21st over: India 121-0 (Rohit 58, Dhawan 59) Dhawan charges Shadab and pings a brilliant six over midwicket. He’s scored 23 from his last eight deliveries and Pakistan have hit 34 from the last three overs.
20th over: India 110-0 (Rohit 55, Dhawan 51) Dhawan punishes Wahab for three boundaries in the over, a flash to third man, a flick to fine leg and a sizzling cut stroke. A scampered second takes him to a highly accomplished 48-ball from 50. Dhawan, the Player of the Tournament here in 2013, is enjoying himself in England again. Of those who have played 10 or more ODI innings in this country, only 1999’s Lance Klusener has a better average than Dhawan. Wahab has gone for 34 from four overs.
19th over: India 95-0 (Rohit 55, Dhawan 36) A moment of fortune for Rohit Sharma, who slog-sweeps Shadab high in the air and is happy to see it drop just short of the man running in from long-on. I was just about to say Shadab was bowling nicely when he sent down a horrible long hop that Rohit smashed over midwicket for six. That brings up a good half-century. He’s a quarter of the way to a third ODI double hundred.
Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters
Updated
18th over: India 87-0 (Rohit 47, Dhawan 36) A better over from Wahab goes for just three. I don’t know what else to say.
17th over: India 84-0 (Rohit 45, Dhawan 35) A treat for us all now: Pakistan have introduced the teenage legspinner Shadab Khan. A quiet first over, with no sign of his deadly googly, is milked for five singles.
16th over: India 79-0 (Rohit 42, Dhawan 32) Dhawan gets a leading edge back in the direction of Wahab, who can’t reach it in his follow-through. Wahab then overpitches to Rohit, who screams a drive over extra cover for four. He’s playing superbly now - as is Dhawan, who completes a productive 13-run over with a frisky uppercut for four. Pakistan need a wicket.
15th over: India 66-0 (Rohit 36, Dhawan 27) Rohit nicks a second run off Hasan. India have been excellent between the wickets this morning; 42 of their 66 runs have come from, well, running.
14th over: India 62-0 (Rohit 33, Dhawan 26) Wahab Riaz is coming on now, to replace Imad Wasim (6-0-30-0). All right-thinking cricket fans love Wahab, who is pathologically incapable of a dull bowling spell. He beats Rohit with a brisk wide delivery and then strays onto the pads of Dhawan, who can only put it away for a single. Three from the over.
13th over: India 59-0 (Rohit 31, Dhawan 25) Hasan continues. There’s still no swing, even though it’s overcast, so Hasan pings a beautiful short ball past Rohit’s face. As Shane Warne says, it’ll be nice to see Wahab Riaz bowl on this pitch as it has plenty of bounce.
Updated
12th over: India 55-0 (Rohit 30, Dhawan 23) “What makes a good editor, Rob?” says Andrew Benton. “How do we non-journalists who aspire simply to write better, seek and find the inspiration and guidance we need? I know from my own experience that a good boss can help you grow in so many ways....and I’m always grateful to those good bosses in my past who have helped me get to wherever it is I am today.”
This is probably a discussion for a rain break (see you in an hour), but I’d start by buying Tim’s book and also Put It In Writing by John Whale. The art of editing is dying a little bit, because the production demands are so great. I was so lucky that I worked with Tim early in my career, as good habits became entrenched. Well, some good habits. I picked up some bad ones by working alongside my ego.
11th over: India 52-0 (Rohit 29, Dhawan 21) What do you all think of the new Twin Peaks? You can see why Showtime said it was the “pure heroin version” of David Lynch. I think it might be astonishing, though I suppose it’s best to reserve judgement until, well, something happens.
Well that’s it for our Twin Peaks discussion blog. I’ll hand you over to Rob Smyth, who is watching Hasan Ali bowl a front-foot no-ball. The resulting free hit is creamed down the ground for a one-bounce four. After a slow start, India have scored 31 from the last five overs.
Updated
10th over: India 46-0 (Rohit 25, Dhawan 20) Imad had one ball remaining of his fifth over when rain stopped play. He bowls it, Rohit Sharma defends it, we move on.
Play will resume at midday. No overs have been lost yet.
Something to read The brilliant Rob Bagchi, once of this newspaper, has picked an all-time India ODI XI. More to the point, he has written about each player as only he can.
For all of those asking for weather updates, this is the best way to check. Far more accurate than me looking out the window. #INDvPAK https://t.co/KsxthrMjtG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) June 4, 2017
Plug #2
An updated version of Gentlemen & Sledgers, my history of the Ashes, will be released in September. At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I think it’s a vaguely competent piece of work.
Plug #1
My OBO colleague Tim de Lisle is the best editor I have worked under. I owe my career to him, and I doubt I’m alone in that. He has just written a book about how to write well, and it is every bit as warm, witty and profound as I expected. Whether you are writing a dissertation on media coverage of beards or a text to someone for whom you have the hots, this book will help you.
There’s no immediate prospect of a resumption, so I’m off to get a coffee and chew some fat. See you in a few minutes.
The ICC have released a statement about last night’s attack. You can read it here.
Following last night’s incident all team hotels went into lockdown and teams, match officials and staff were all quickly accounted for. The enhanced security around venues implemented following the Manchester attack remains in place, this includes significantly enhanced police and security presence for today’s match.
“Evening Rob,” says Phil Withall. “I finally get control of the television and it starts to rain. There has to be a metaphor in there somewhere.”
The covers are on, as are the see-through flasher macs that have been given to spectators. You don’t need to be Marty McFly to deem the rain to be heavy.
Rain stops play
9.5 overs: India 46-0 (Rohit 25, Dhawan 20) Dhawan gets stuck into Imad, pinging a slog-sweep over midwicket for four. More sloppy fielding from Pakistan gives Dhawan an overthrow. Sky have introduced fielding statistics for each player in this tournament; at this rate Pakistan are going to break the computer that records them. An eventful over continues with Rohit almost dragging on and then mishitting a drive that goes a fair way in the air before landing safely. And then there was rain. Ach!
9th over: India 37-0 (Rohit 24, Dhawan 11) Hasan Ali replaces Mohammad Amir, who bowled a fine spell of 4-1-14-0. Hasan is a rare bird in Pakistan cricket, a right-arm quick. Rohit, who is looking good now, times a cracking boundary through point. He tries to send the next ball to Coventry with an almighty whack across the line, and misses.
“Boy,” says Dean Kinsella, “do these guys love their cricket, or what?” It’s great, isn’t it? It makes me want to be not English, just for one day.
8th over: India 32-0 (Rohit 20, Dhawan 11) The sky has darkened dramatically in the last ten minutes, so don’t be surprised if rain stops play at some stage. Don’t say you weren’t warned. The weather forecast told you, I told you, Twitter told you.
In other news, Dhawan calls Rohit for a dangerous single to mid-off; Rohit cleverly runs down the line of the throw to ensure it hits him rather than the stumps. I think he would have been home anyway.
In further news, county cricket continues to plug away diligently from the Pavilion End. Will Macpherson has all the latest news.
7th over: India 27-0 (Rohit 19, Dhawan 7) Rohit edges Amir past the diving Azhar in a wide slip position and away for four. That was so close. Amir deserves a wicket for a terrific opening spell to Rohit.
Updated
6th over: India 21-0 (Rohit 14, Dhawan 6) Imad continues, bowling a very tight line from around the wicket to Dhawan. I don’t know why but it always feels a bit strange to see a left-armer bowl around the wicket to a left-hander. Dhawan gets a single to bring the right-handed Rohit on strike, and he clatters a short ball through the covers for four more.
5th over: India 15-0 (Rohit 9, Dhawan 5) Rohit gets the first boundary, hooking Amir emphatically over short fine leg to prompt wild celebrations. The atmosphere is quite wonderful. Still no swing for Mohammad Amir, continuing a dispiriting theme of this tournament. If Amir can’t swing the white ball I doubt anyone can, except maybe Graham Gooch.
4th over: India 9-0 (Rohit 4, Dhawan 4) The strike is rotated for the first time, with Dhawan driving Imad for a single. That’s the first of four in the over. Still no boundaries, though India are starting to settle.
Updated
3rd over: India 5-0 (Rohit 2, Dhawan 2) Rohit gets off the mark with a pleasant cover-drive for two off Amir that is greeted like a significant breakthrough in medical science. There’s a tremendous noise at Edgbaston; you can hear it from Land’s End to John o’Groats, especially if you have a television. This is a terrific start from Pakistan, with Amir giving Rohit very little to work with in that over.
2nd over: India 3-0 (Rohit 0, Dhawan 2) The left-arm spinner Imad Wasim shares the new ball. Dhawan pushes his first ball for two, aided by an abysmal misfield at backward point. Oh, Pakistan! A wide is the only other run from an excellent over.
1st over: India 0-0 (Rohit 0, Dhawan 0) A storming start from Amir, who beats Rohit with three of his first four deliveries. The second was a jaffa that roared from a fullish length. Amir starts with a maiden, a thrilling statement of Pakistan intent.
Mohammad Amir will bowl the first over to the brilliant pair of Rohit Sharma - whose ODI scores include 264, 209, 171 and 150 - and Shikhar Dhawan, the Player of the Tournament in the last Champions Trophy four years ago.
There’s a minute’s silence for the victims of last night’s attack. And now the noise - the beautiful, endless noise of India v Pakistan - can begin.
Updated
Big call to leave Ashwin out, but if rain is in the air, it makes sense. #CT17 #IndvPak
— Dileep Premachandran (@SpiceBoxofEarth) June 4, 2017
The teams
India have left out Ravichandran Ashwin, which is a huge surprise. They are playing four seamers instead. Pakistan have included the exciting teenage leggie Shadab Khan; I can’t wait to see him.
India Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli (c), Yuvraj, Dhoni (wk), Jadhav, Pandya, Jadeja, Kumar, Yadav, Bumrah.
Pakistan Azhar, Shehzad, Babar, Hafeez, Malik, Sarfraz (c/wk), Imad, Shabad, Amir, Wahab, Hasan.
Updated
Pakistan have won the toss and will bowl first
Rain is forecast for later in the day at Edgbaston. For now, the weather is pretty glorious.
The first email of the day
“Any preview of the India v Pakistan game today must begin, as one must always, with Ravi Shastri’s thoughts,” says Nigam Nuggehalli. “Here’s Shastri writing in the Times of India:
‘It is one of the game’s sweetest ironies that Pakistan would be mindful of India’s pace armoury at Edgbaston on Sunday. Who would’ve thought that to happen to the land of Sarfraz and Imran; Wasim and Waqar? Since when did grandma start going to cookery classes for teenagers in frocks and camisoles?’
“Does anyone have the faintest idea what Shastri is talking about in the last sentence? Is the Pakistan team grandma? Is the cookery class the Champions Trophy? I can’t watch the game until we decode Shastri’s metaphors.”
I think I’ve worked it out: he’s been watching too much Mrs Doubtfire.
Some more pre-match reading for you
India v Pakistan, a short history
Did you know that the ICC manipulate the groups for major tournaments to ensure India play Pakistan? This is new to me. I’m not sure it should happen.
Our friend Vish, who will be here for the second innings, wrote a cracking piece on the rivalry for the Cricket Monthly. You should read it.
Edgbaston this morning. pic.twitter.com/itcTRiW2HG
— Andy Bull (@AndyBullatGNM) June 4, 2017
Wow just walking to the ground for the India vs Pakistan game,its absolutely carnage already! Great to see so many cricket fans about #CT17
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) June 4, 2017
Updated
Preamble
Morning folks. India v Pakistan is the biggest game of all, but it feels pretty small after last night’s terror attack in London. Human nature will doubtless kick in once the game starts. The defending champions India are strong favourites: they have a spectacular record against Pakistan in global tournaments and are a more modern, accomplished ODI side. The rankings say this is 3rd v 8th, which feels about right. The toss is at 10am, the first ball at 10.30.
Updated
.png?w=600)
