At Mohali, November 8, 2007 (day/night). Pakistan won by four wickets. Toss: India.
The nervousness of the first match was replaced by panache in the second, as India batted first
and steamed past 300. Tendulkar was back to his best and unfurled a seemingly unstoppable array
of strokes. There were the usual flicks and cuts, but it was the back-foot punch through cover that
was the most ominous indicator of his intentions and form. Yet again he contrived to get himself
out for 99, for the third time in one-day internationals in 2007, edging to the keeper. Gambhir
contributed a half-century, and Harbhajan Singh provided some late momentum to lift India to
321. It was only an innings of innovation and boldness from Younis Khan that brought the series
back alive. Employing both conventional and reverse sweeps to smart effect, he clattered a century
that brought victory with one ball to spare, put Tendulkar in the shade, and levelled the series. It
was the highest total Pakistan had ever made batting second to win a one-day international, although
they did score 344 for eight against India at Karachi in 2003-04 and still lost. Both sides were
fined afterwards for slow over-rates: the captains lost 10% of their match fee and the rest of the
players 5%.
Man of the Match: Younis Khan.
© John Wisden & Co.
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