Praveen Kumar grabbed four early wickets and Virender Sehwag smashed a robust half-century as India thrashed Pakistan by 140 runs in a triangular one-day series match here on Tuesday. India bowled Pakistan out for 190 after posting a formidable 330-8 in the day-night match on a slow track, thanks to superb performances from paceman Kumar (4-53) and opener Sehwag (89). The defeat also ended Pakistan's 12-match winning streak. Kumar, playing only his sixth one-dayer, pressed home the advantage given by man-of-the-match Sehwag, opener Gautam Gambhir (62) and Yuvraj Singh (55) as he grabbed four wickets in a disciplined opening spell. "It was an important toss to win and Sehwag and Gambhir gave us an ideal start. They batted well and I am happy with our performance," captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said after one of India's biggest wins over Pakistan. "We exploited the conditions well and our bowling was up to the mark."
The 21-year-old Kumar wrecked the top order when he dismissed Salman Butt, Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Kamran Akmal to send Pakistan reeling at 81-4 in the 13th over. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, 19, also kept pressure on the Pakistani batsmen as he finished with 4-40. Skipper Shoaib Malik top-scored with 53, but Pakistan had virtually lost the match after suffering early blows. Opener Kamran Akmal (38), Misbah-ul-Haq (24) and Shahid Afridi (23) were the other main scorers. "It was a bad day. Our bowlers did not bowl in the right areas and India batted very well," said Malik. India's batting earlier flourished as Gambhir and Sehwag made the most of Pakistan's fielding lapses to help their team set a stiff target. Sehwag was let off once and left-handed Gambhir twice before putting their team on course for a big total with a 155-run stand for the opening wicket.
Yuvraj then cashed in on a brisk start, reaching his 36th half-century with a six off leg-spinner Afridi. He cracked three sixes and as many fours in his 54-ball knock. Gambhir was on four when dropped by Younus in the slips off paceman Umar Gul in the opening over and then on 29 when let off by the same fielder from left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz. Sehwag survived a chance on 43, grassed by wicket-keeper Akmal off fast bowler Iftikhar Rao. Pakistan paid dearly for these lapses as the Indians dominated the attack with attractive strokes on both sides of the wicket. Sehwag smashed one six and 13 fours in his 26th half-century and Gambhir six boundaries in his eighth ton. Gul was the most successful bowler with 3-61, while Afridi and Riaz each took two wickets. India will now play Bangladesh in their next match on Thursday.
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