A ONESIDED AFFAIR
Bhuvneshwar, Jadhav take three each before Rohit’s fifty takes team to an eightwicket win
India ticked all boxes as they clinically decimated Pakistan by eight wickets in a lopsided Asia Cup group league encounter on Wednesday.
It was a superlative effort from the bowling unit that saw them shot out Pakistan for a paltry 162 in 43.1 overs before Rohit Sharma (52 off 39 balls) and Shikhat Dhawan (46 off 54 balls) added 86 for the opening wicket to ensure a smooth chase for the ‘Men In Blue’ in only 29 overs.
India’s Kedar Jadhav celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik during the Asia Cup ODI between the two countries at the Dubai International Cricket stadium on Wednesday. Jadhav picked up three scalps.
DUBAI: There were no nerve-jangling moments usually associated with India-Pakistan clashes. Once skipper Rohit Sharma won a personal battle against Mohammed Amir, after inspiring bowling by Kedar Jadhav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India were in cruise control in the Asia Cup league encounter on Wednesday.
Both teams were assured of qualification into the next ‘Super Four’ stage going into the game, but there was still much excitement for a packed crowd for the first clash between the teams after India’s ICC Champions Trophy final defeat last year.
However, it was one-sided all the way with India’s only jolt coming in the form of a back injury suffered by all-rounder Hardik Pandya after he awkwardly twisted in his followthrough after a delivery.
After the bowlers led by spinner Jadhav’s 3/23 had restricted Pakistan to 162, Rohit overcame Amir’s first spell to score his 35th half-century and raise an 86-run opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan (46). Rohit (52 - 39b, 6x4, 3x6) had been removed thrice by Amir in four ties but the batsman played fluent shots this time.
Earlier, Bhuvneshwar’s tidy seam bowling was complemented by Jadhav’s unconventional offbreaks as India skittled out Pakistan. While Bhuvneshwar (3/15 ) provided initial breakthroughs, Jadhav, on a comeback in the Asia Cup, bowled with control, taking pace off the ball, broke the backbone of the Pakistan lower middle-order.
Jasprit Bumrah (2/23) and Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (1/37) also accomplished their task to perfection as India were transformed from the side that dished out a rusty performance against Hong Kong the previous evening.
Jadhav’s performance was even more laudable as he did the job of a frontline spinner after Pandya was stretchered off due to an “acute lower back injury”. This was after Babar Azam (47) and veteran Shoaib Malik (43) added 82 runs for the third wicket and looked like taking control of the proceedings.
However, Pakistan suffered a collapse losing five wickets for 36 runs before Faheem Ashraf (21) and Mohammed Amir (16) added 37 runs for the eighth wicket to take the total past 150.
Electing to bat, Pakistan were in trouble straightaway as Bhuvneshwar dealt a twin blow by removing Imam-ul Haq (2) and Fakhar Zaman (0) to reduce them to 2 for 3.
Imam charged out to a short of length delivery that climbed on him and the thickish outside edge was taken by MS Dhoni. Zaman, India’s tormentor in the Champions Trophy final, mistimed a pullshot and Yuzvendra Chahal took a well-judged catch.
Babar and Malik then resurrected the innings. The half-volleys on both sides of the wicket were driven with ferocity. Malik gave Kuldeep the charge to hit him for a six.
Malik was dropped off Pandya, Dhoni putting down a low chance. Babar failed to read Kuldeep’s googly and it clipped his off-bail. From 85/2, it became 100/5. Sarfraz Ahmed (6) was dismissed by Jadhav as substitute fielder Manish Pandey took a brilliant running catch on the long-on fence.