India-Pakistan Part II in this Asia Cup was not much different from Part I. There were no handshakes and India were the overwhelmingly dominant team who walked away with a comfortable win.
There was a touch of tension in the match environment though. After captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha did not shake hands at the toss, there were a few war of words between the players during the game's second half.
India came up trumps over Pakistan in this high-intensity game in Dubai on Sunday, beginning the Super Four stage with a six-wicket victory.
The effort from the Pakistanis with the bat, in particular, was a tad better this time as they posted a competitive 171/5 after being put in. On a pitch that seemed flatter and better for strokeplay, the Pakistanis, courtesy of the dropped catches from Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav and Shubman Gill, felt they could create some pressure on the Indians.
But that was not the case. Abhishek made up for his dropped catches with a delightful innings. Setting the tone for India’s run chase by pulling the first ball of the innings — a short-pitched delivery on the leg-stump from Shaheen Shah Afridi — for a maximum, Abhishek punished Pakistan again as he blasted a 39-ball 74 and also forged a rollicking 105-run stand with his Punjab teammate Gill (47 off 28 balls).
The opening stand was massive as it took good care of India’s scoring rate. Skipper Surya fell soon after Gill got cleaned up by Faheem Ashraf off a delivery darting in, while Sanju Samson was bowled by Haris Rauf a little after Abhishek mistimed one to hole out the long-on region.
Yet, the equation was such that India never really felt the pressure. Young Tilak Varma (30 not out off 19 balls) too deserves a mention for keeping calm and ensuring no botch-up at the death, as India reached home with seven balls remaining and also recorded their highest-ever run chase against Pakistan in T20Is.
However, the shot-making prowess of Abhishek, who made good use of the depth of the crease, and Gill, almost matching his statemate with his strokeplay, was crucial in setting the game up for India. The duo had no mercy whenever the average Pakistani attack fed them with room and width.
Dube strikes
At the halfway stage of their innings, with opener Sahibzada Farhan (58 off 45 balls) and No.3 Saim Ayub — dropped on 4 by Kuldeep off Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling — going strong, Pakistan were poised to cross the 180 mark. But Shivam Dube took pace off the ball, forcing an error from Ayub first to break the 72-run second-wicket stand in the 11th over.
Ayub’s dismissal somewhat affected Farhan’s rhythm too as he mis-hit another slower and wider one and Dube picked up his second wicket. The medium-pacer all-rounder's first three overs didn't allow Pakistan a single boundary, which was crucial in limiting Pakistan in those middle overs.
Thanks to Faheem (20 not out off 8 balls), who too was helped by a dropped catch, Pakistan crossed 170. But Abhishek and Gill showed that it was too easy a task for India.