Yuvraj Singh inspires India to series-levelling win against Pakistan

India levelled the two-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan with an exciting 11-run win in Ahmedabad.

Yuvraj Singh and Ashok Dinda starred with bat and ball respectively, the former seeing the hosts to 192 for five with 72 in 36 balls.

Dinda then took up the battle taking three for 36, including Pakistan's top-scorer Mohammed Hafeez for 55.

Hafeez put in India having won the toss only for Ajinkya Rahane (28) and Gautam Gambhir (21) to put on a bright 44-run opening stand.

Umar Gul accounted for both men, bringing together Virar Kohli and Yuvraj.

Kohli made a steady 27 before being run out taking on Saeed Ajmal but Yuvraj was irrepressible.

He scored at exactly two a ball, plundering seven sixes and four boundaries, including two maximums in a row off Sohail Tanvir and three more off Saeed Ajmal's next over.

He eventually holed out to Gul, who also claimed the scalp of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) to finish with four for 37.

Pakistan started their chase confidently, Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad taking on the opening bowlers and laying a solid foundation of 74 in 9.4 overs before Jamshed fell to Ravichandran Ashwin for 41.

Shehzad followed, stumped off Yuvraj, an over later but Hafeez quickly altered the momentum.

He faced just 26 deliveries but struck six boundaries and three sixes, two off successive Ashwin balls.

Dinda produced the decisive performance in the closing stages, accounting for Hafeez as well as both Umar and Kamran Akmal.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar also returned to see off Shahid Afridi as the reply foundered to 181 for seven.

PA