Ganguly Leads Off India's Sahara Safari

However, Ganguly's fifth consecutive man of the match award in the Sahara series gave him joy as well as pain. During the course of his innings, Ganguly hobbled off the field with what was described as a mild hamstring strain.

He returned to the crease at the fall of the first wicket before injuring the afflicted area again. He finally retired in pain with an unbeaten 54 when India was two runs shy of Pakistan's total of 189 for 9.

Ganguly's innings came on the heels of his 3 for 33 off 10 overs on an unusually hot and humid late summer day in Toronto. Ganguly's overall tally of 18 wickets and his half century have taken him to the top of the bowling and batting averages in all Sahara Cup matches since the competition began in 1996.

Mohammad Azharuddin, the Indian captain, won the toss and put Pakistan into bat in overcast conditions on a slow seamer's wicket after the morning drizzle had stopped.

Paksitani opener Shahid Afridi caused some early excitement, hitting Indian medium pacer Ajit Agarkar's first ball in the Sahara competition for a six.

Srinath marked his international comeback with an excellent spell of fast-medium bowling as he extracted bounce and movement to take three Pakistani wickets for 37 runs. He had Afridi, who holds the record for the fastest one-day century, edge an outswinger to Azharuddin at second slip when the opener had scored 8.

New Pakistani captain Aamir Sohail celebrated his return to the world stage with a fifty-run partnership with Saeed Anwar before he was given leg before trying to pull a ball from Ganguly for 21 with the total at 71. Anwar impressed with a solidly crafted 35 before he was adjudged leg before to the Indian allrounder Kanitkar two runs later.

Inzimamul Haq and Salim Malik, also back in the side, played slowly before Haq fell to a good catch by Paranjpe on the boundary off Ganguly for 20, with the score at 121. Abdul Razzak, included in the national side after a successful tour, lasted only six balls before Mongia accepted a chance behind the wicket off Ganguly's bowling for 3.

Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, batting at number 7, both departed with the score at 164. Ijaz was caught by Azharuddin at coverpoint off Srinath for 21. Srinath also caught Malik off his own bowling colliding with Prasad in the process just as the Pakistani bat was running into form with a 41. Srinath soon left with the field with a bruised side.

Bombay paceman Ajit Ajarkar returned to claim two wickets before Pakistani wicketkeeper Moin Khan and Mohammad Zahid pushed the final score to 189 for 9 off 50 overs, with Moin striking the last ball for six.

India's reply was professional.

Zahid's pace and bounce hurried the openers Ganguly and Sidhu into defensive strokes. However, sloppy outcricket gifted away runs and allowed Ganguly a couple of lives. Ganguly overcame these flaws in his innings to unleash some classic front foot cover drives. His 54* off 72 balls contained 7 fours.

After Ganguly's retirement, Sidhu got over a streaky start to craft a solid partnership with his skipper. Azharuddin impressed with his elegant batting against Zahid and other Pakistani pacemen on a difficult pitch.

The third umpire confirmed that Moin had whipped off the bails to Mehmood's throw from the boundary before Azharuddin had completed a third run. Azhar made 28 with three fours and was out when the total was 91.

Sidhu dug out one yorker from Zahid but played round the next as he lost his wicket at the same total. Sidhu struck an excellent 45 off 67 balls in 108 minutes.

Razzak, who bowled a tidy length, picked up Dravid's wicket as the stylish Indian touched one to Moin after he had made only 2. Left-handed bats Kanitkar and Paranjpe fashioned the victory with their compact defense and aggression. Paranjpe and Mongia completed the formalities a little later as India romped home by six wickets off only 43.4 overs.

At one stage, Paranjpe had hit an unusual stroke, giving the ball an uppercut so that it travelled over the giant Pepsi rubber can at long leg for a six. (Pepsico has agreed to donate prize money to Mother Theresa's order of nuns should any batsman hit the can.)

With this win, India has surged to a 7-4 lead over Pakistan in the Sahara series since it began in 1996. One game was abandoned. Last year, Ganguly won four man of the match awards in the series for his batting and bowling.

Azharuddin said that the groundstaff has done extremely well to give us a wicket like this," although he admitted that "the ball was flying." Sohail said that the wicket assisted the seam and pace bowlers. Both captains said "the wicket played better than last year."

As the series progresses, more of the attention will be focused on the players in Toronto than on the stars like Wasim, Waqar and Tendulkar who could not make the tour. Saqlain Mushtaq will join the tour party in Toronto on September 13.

Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad said he hoped Ganguly (whom Azharuddin described as "one of my best players") would play in tomorrow's match. Gaekwad admitted that Ganguly "has to work more on his fitness" following a similar bout of cramps in Dhaka.

Pakistan skipper Aamir Sohail acknowledged that "the game slipped away in the first 15 overs." He acknowledged that "the Indian bowlers were very disciplined in their bowling. Azharuddin said he hoped that that his bowlers would bowl fewer wides and no balls in the coming games.