With experience Yusuf will turn into a match-finisher: Dhoni

Cape Town, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian skipper Mahendra SinghDhoni lauded Yusuf Pathan for his blistering innings and saidwith more experience the dashing all-rounder can become a goodmatch-finishing batsman for the country.

Pathan produced a terrific 50-ball 59 run innings lastnight to help India chase South Africa''s total of 220 with 10balls to spare after being precariously placed at 93 for fiveat one stage.

"He (Pathan) played his natural game. I want him tocontinue playing the kind of cricket he plays. As he gets moreexperience he will turn into a match-finishing batsman," Dhonisaid.

"It was good effort from the batsmen. The lowermiddle-order also played well. But Pathan was superb," Dhonisaid.

Dhoni also praised his death bowlers for their superbshow during the fag end of the South African innings.

"The best thing today was our powerplay and deathbowling," the Indian skipper said.

Man-of-the-match Pathan said he was just playing hisnatural game and it put pressure on the South African bowlers.

"It''s a good win for us. I was just looking to hit theballs which were in my areas. If you let the bowler know youcan play the shots, you will play the shots and he will stayunder pressure," Yusuf said.

"I went in thinking that I will play my shots but won''tbe in any hurry to play those shots. I will wait for the ballsin my area and I was successful doing that."

Pathan, who hit six fours and three sixes, said it was abouncy pitch but he played his shots to put the opponent on tothe back foot.

"There was bounce in the pitch. But I knew if I played afew shots, things would get easier. If you hit the bowlers,the opposition gets on to the back foot. A lot of things runthrough the captain''s mind, and you benefit from that," headded.

The Baroda batsman said with this win, South Africa willbe under pressure to bounce back into the five-match one-dayseries.

"Our team is full of confidence right now," Pathan said.

"South Africa will obviously be under pressure becausethey have lost two matches, and we have done better inpressure situation. We made a comeback in the previous game,and here too. So the pressure will be on them." PTI LN ATK CM