India kept Pakistan under control in their Asia Cup clash on 14 September, as their spinners choked the innings and the batting side limped to a measly 127 for 9 in 20 overs.
The rot began soon after Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal for 16, skying Axar Patel to long-on in the eighth over. From there, Pakistan slipped from 45 for 3 to 64 for 6 in the 13th. Agha Salman scratched around for 12 balls to make just 3 before falling to Axar, while Sahibzada Farhan, who became the first Pakistan batter ever to hit a six off Jasprit Bumrah, laboured to 40 off 44. His departure at 90 for 7 in the 17th over summed up a stuttering innings.
India’s spinners were relentless. Axar bowled four straight overs for 18 runs and two wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav’s wrong’uns and googlies brought him figures of 4-0-18-3, including the successive dismissals of Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz. By the end of 10 overs, Pakistan had already soaked up 37 dot balls.
Shaheen Shah Afridi provided late fireworks, smashing two sixes and two fours in a lively 26 not out from 13 balls. He clouted Hardik Pandya for back-to-back sixes in the final over to lift Pakistan past 120, after Bumrah had bowled an incisive penultimate over, finishing with 2 for 28. Varun Chakravarthy also impressed, conceding only 24 runs and taking a wicket.
Despite Afridi’s cameo, Pakistan’s innings was characterised by hesitation, dots and dismissals. Their total of 127 for 9 left India firmly in command at the halfway stage.
India keep Pakistan at bay as Farhan hits two sixes to finish powerplay
India kept Pakistan under control early in their Asia Cup clash on 14 September, restricting them to 42 for 2 at the end of the powerplay, despite a late flourish from Sahibzada Farhan, who hit two sixes off Jasprit Bumrah to stem the collapse.
The first six overs were dominated by Indian bowlers. On the first legal ball of the match, Saeem Ayub fell to Bumrah at point, giving India an early breakthrough after the initial wide delivery. Pakistan’s second wicket came in the second over when Mohammad Haris tried to attack Bumrah’s back-of-a-length delivery, only to edge it to Hardik Pandya at deep backward square leg.
Sahibzada Farhan then became the first Pakistan batter to hit a six off Bumrah in any international match, lofting an aerial on-drive over mid-on. Farhan, along with Fakhar Zaman, tried to steady the innings. Zaman survived a close LBW review against Bumrah in the second over, as TV replays confirmed the ball had pitched outside leg stump.
By the end of the powerplay, Farhan had scored 19 off 19 balls and Zaman 16 off 11, reviving Pakistan’s innings after two early wickets. Farhan’s aggressive strikeplay marked him as one of only six batters to hit two sixes off Bumrah in T20 internationals.
Pakistan opt to bat first against India
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first in their Asia Cup match against India on 14 September at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Pakistan captain Salman Agha said the team has been playing well and noted that the pitch appears slow, making spin crucial for success. Consequently, Haris Rauf has been left out of the XI. Agha added that the aim is to post a par-plus total in these conditions.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with the preparations and noted that batting on the adjacent pitch in their previous game against UAE had been favourable, especially under lights. India have retained the same playing XI.
India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
