For the first time since the ICC Champions Trophy final at the Oval last year, India and Pakistan go head to head when in the final Group A clash of the Asia Cup at Dubai on Wednesday.
Pakistan thumped India by a whopping 180 runs in the Champions Trophy final. Could the Indians avenge that loss or would Sarfraz Ahmed’s men gain the upper hand once again?
The Pakistan skipper won the toss and elected to bat first. After a quite opening two overs which fetched only two runs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck early for India by dismissing Imam-ul-Haq in the third over. Things went from bad to worse for Pakistan in the fifth over with Bhuvneshwar dismissing danger man Fakhar Zaman for a nine-ball duck.
Since the loss of the two early wickets, Shoaib Malik and Babar Azam stabilised the Pakistan innings with a fifty-plus stand. Their 82-run stand was finally broken by Kuldeep Yadav in the 22nd over with the wrist-spinner dismissing Babar Azam for 47. Moments later, Kedar Jadhav had the beating of Sarfraz as Pakistan were reduced to 96-4. Soon after, Malik (43) was run-out by a direct hit from Ambati Rayudu before Asif Ali (9) was caught behind off the bowling of Jadhav.
A seventh Pakistan wicket in the form of Shadab Khan fell soon enough as Jadhav claimed his third victim. After a brief partnership between Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Amir, Pakistan’s tail crumbled quickly with the men in green bowled out for 162 runs.
In reply, India’s openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma started cautiously, adding 27 without any loss from the first seven overs, but once both settled into a groove, they let loose.
Sharma blazed away to a 38-ball 50 before getting out to the first ball he faced from leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who bowled the Indian captain clean through the gate with a googly to break an 86-run opening stand.
Dhawan soon followed suit, hitting a half-tracker straight to point while batting on 46.
However, Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik consolidated with a solid partnership, with India cruising to 137/2 at the 25-over mark. The duo subsequently brought up a 50 stand three overs later.
And the Men in Blue wrapped up a comprehensive victory in the 29th over, winning by eight-wickets with Rayudu and Karthik both finishing unbeaten on 31.
Do not miss any of the action from this blockbuster clash between the two bitter rivals by following the live ball-by-ball updates in the link below.
