Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja lead India’s fight back, take Men In Blue to 5-wicket victory
DUBAI
In a final over nail-biter, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a Asia Cup Twenty20 international here on Sunday.
Chasing 148 for win, Ravindra Jadeja, who hit 35, and Pandya put on a key fifth-wicket stand of 52 as India reached their target with two balls to spare in Dubai.
Pace bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pandya shared seven wickets to set up victory for India in their opening match of the six-nation tournament after they bowled out Pakistan for 147. Mohammad Rizwan attempted to set the pace for Pakistan with his 43 after early wickets, but the Indian bowlers kept coming back at a packed Dubai International Stadium.
Kumar set the tone for India’s dominance as he dismissed skipper Babar Azam for 10 in the second over and returned figures of 4-26. Pandya rattled Pakistan’s middle-order with his three wickets. India elected to field first and Kumar nearly trapped Rizwan lbw with the second ball, but the wicketkeeper-batsman successfully reviewed the decision.
The in-form Azam began with a boundary in the first over but his stay was short-lived as Kumar had him caught at short fine-leg off a short ball.
Rizwan attempted to rebuild the innings with the left-handed Fakhar Zaman as the two struck a few boundaries between them. Pace bowler Avesh Khan responded after getting hit for a six and four by Rizwan, inducing a faint edge behind from Fakhar (10) to bring alive the Indian crowd.
Indian fielders did not appeal and only celebrated after Fakhar walked off much to the surprise of his partner.
Rizwan then got going with Iftikhar Ahmed in a 45-run stand that was broken by Pandya with a bouncer that saw Iftikhar caught behind for 28. Pandya struck again to deny Rizwan his fifty and soon got another to further restrict Pakistan.
Rizwan was the top scorer with 43 and Iftikhar chipped in with 28, although it was number 11 batsman Shahnawaz Dahani who drew the biggest cheers, thanks to his cameo of 16 runs off just six balls laced with two much-needed sixes.
