Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik on way to his century in Karachi on Thursday. (AFP)

Karachi: Pakistan’s nemesis Virender Sehwag (119) scored a swashbuckling century, while Suresh Raina (84) matched his aggression as India cantered to a six-wicket win with 7.5 overs to spare against the arch-rivals in the Asia Cup here on Thursday.

It was sweet revenge for the Indians who, just two weeks ago, were outclassed by Pakistan in the Kitply tri-series final in Dhaka. With Sehwag and Raina on fire, India cruised to 301 for four in only 42.1 overs after Pakistan appeared to have set a competitive target by making 299 for four.

The hosts’ innings revolved around 125 from captain Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan’s 59 on a good batting track. Malik didn’t field after retiring with cramps while pacer Umar Gul also went off with a rib cage injury after sending down just 1.2 overs. But under lights, Sehwag showed just how good the track was when he savaged the attack scoring his ninth hundred. He and Raina put on a record 198 runs for the second wicket from 149 balls before the stand was broken in the 28th over.

The stand was remarkable as it came after Pakistan’s stand-in captain Misbah-ul-Haq had brought off a spectacular one-handed catch at short point to get rid of Gautam Gambir (9) in the third over, and the Pakistanis were on a high but it was Sehwag’s day.

He played some breathtaking shots to hand India their fourth successive win over Pakistan at the venue. It was his first one-day hundred for India since he got one against Bermuda in the 2007 World Cup.

The second-wicket stand was also a new record for the Asia Cup, breaking the previous best of 154 between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly against Bangladesh in 2004.

India, by virtue of their victory, topped group B of the six-nation tournament and will play Bangladesh in the first match of the super-four stage on June 28.

Yuvraj Singh (48 from 47 balls) and M.S. Dhoni (26 not out) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 63 from 66 balls to seal the victory after the fall of Raina and Sehwag.

Raina, who hit 10 boundaries and three sixes, faced only 69 balls and fell in the 28th over after he played a loose shot off Iftikhar Anjum and was caught at cover by Fawad Alam.

Sehwag was caught at long on by Younis off Afridi after a 95-ball innings. Sehwag’s 119-ball blitzkrieg was studded with 12 fours and five sixes. Raina was no less aggressive either as the left-hander smote 10 fours and three sixes for his 69-ball 84.

Yuvraj, too, joined the run-fest though he fell two runs shy of his half century. Dhoni scored the winning run in style, hitting Younis Khan for a six.

(PTI)

India versus Pakistan highlights

India have not conceded a century opening stand for 52 ODI’s now. They last conceded a century opening stand to South Africa on December 3 at Centurion when Graeme Smith & AB de Villiers put on 173.

Ishant Sharma’s spell of 10-0-69-0 is now his most expensive in ODI’s. His previous most expensive spell was 10-0-65-1 vs Australia at Sydney on February 24.

Suresh Raina (84) scored his fourth ODI fifty, his first against Pakistan.

Virender Sehwag scored his 9th ODI hundred. His last hundred against a Test playing nation came as far back as April 2, 2005 when he made 105 vs Pakistan at Cochin.

With Thursday’s win India now have 327 ODI wins, and 327 losses in 687 one-day Internationals.

India’s last win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup came 20 years ago at Dhaka on October 31, 1988.

India have now successfully chased a score of 300 or more 6 times in ODI’s, the most by any International side.