India maintained their supremacy against Pakistan by inflicting a seven-wicket defeat in the Group A clash at Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Chasing 128, opener Abhishek Sharma gave India a customary flying start as he danced down the track and smashed the first ball of the innings from Shaheen Afridi straight down the ground for a four. Still not content, Abhishek smashed the very next delivery over wide long-off for his first six, as the Pakistani pace spearhead conceded 12 runs off his first over.
Newly appointed vice-captain Shubman Gill also got going right after he enjoyed the show by his childhood buddy from arguably the best seat in the house. He struck two consecutive fours off Saim Ayub in the next over but the spinner took his revenge as he bamboozled Gill (10) with a carrom ball and got him stumped by Mohammad Haris.
But Abhishek's onslaught against Afridi continued in the next over as he greeted the tall pacer with a cracking boundary towards deep backward point. Abhishek then played the shot of the match as he flicked a straight slower ball from Afridi over the over mid-wicket fence, sending it deep into the crowd.
Abhishek hit a couple of more fours off Saim Ayub in the next over but lost his wicket in the same over as he mistimed a hit towards long-off, handing a routine catch to Faheem Ashraf. Abhishek’s 13-ball 31 was studded with two maximums and four boundaries.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Mumbai teammate Tilak Varma didn’t take their feet off the padel and brought up a 50-run stand off 43 balls. Tilak Varma hit a six and two fours in his run-a-ball 31 before Saim Ayub castled the left-hander with a fastish off-break on the middle stump that turned quickly after pitching to knock the off-stump. This saw India getting reduced to 97/3 in 12.2 overs.
Shivam Dube took his time to get going, but when he did, he smashed a 90-metre six – the biggest of the tournament – off Saim Ayub over long-on. But it was the birthday boy Suryakumar Yadav who led his team from the front as he top scored with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls, featuring four boundaries and finished the chase with an authoritative six over mid-wicket.
Suryakumar Yadav and Dube (10*) walked off the field without shaking hands with the opposition, just like the Indian captain did at the toss.
Earlier, tail-ender Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is usually expected to deliver with the ball, gave Pakistan some respite with his 33 off 16 balls blinder that drove Pakistan to 127/9.
The much-hyped clash started with Pakistan winning the toss and opting to bat first. Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan top scored from his team with a 44-ball 40, which included three maximums and a boundary.
But the Indian bowlers led by Kuldeep Yadav’s 3/18 ensured that Pakistan’s innings never got going. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel took two wickets each, while Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with a wicket each.
Pakistan played 63 dot balls in their innings and were looking to get bundled out for under 100 until Afridi got into the act. Afridi hit his first six off Kuldeep in the 17th over with a clean slog-sweep that went over the mid-wicket fence. Chakaravarthy was dealt with another in the next over as Afridi made some room and smashed a delivery over wide long-off.
Pakistan went into the last over at 111/9 with Pandya set to finish it off. Afridi played a dot in the first delivery but struck the second and third balls over long-on for two huge sixes.
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