- 3rd Match, Super Four, Asia Cup at Dubai
Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan both scored centuries, and produced a batting master class to hand another lop-sided defeat to Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2018 Super Four match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Pakistan innings
After captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to bat first, Fakhar Zaman and Imamul Haq opened the innings for Pakistan, whereas Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah shared the new ball for India.
Following a cautious start, Pakistan were dealt the first blow on the final ball of the 8th over when Haq was trapped leg-before-wicket by Yuzvendra Chahal.
Zaman, who was joined by Babar Azam at the crease, smacked the day’s first maximum in the 13th over bowled by Kuldeep Yadav.
The hard-hitting southpaw smashed another four to Yadav in the 15th over but like his fellow opener, fell leg-before-wicket when trying to sweep one. Replays showed that Zaman may have earned a reprieve had he opted for a review but he decided against it despite consulting his partner.
In the next over, Pakistan lost another big wicket, this time Azam being the casualty due to Sarfraz Ahmed’s call. Azam responded to a call for a single by the skipper, who then cancelled the call, leaving him in the lurch on the non-striker’s end.
The resultant run-out left Pakistan three-down and needing a major innings from their skipper, who was joined by Shoaib Malik — the last game’s match-winner.
Run weren’t flowing in the first place but the trifecta of wickets dried them up even more. A couple more tight overs followed to leave Pakistan 71-3 after 20 overs.
The duo rotated the strike for the next five overs, taking their side to 92-3 at the halfway mark of their innings.
While Sarfraz was content at picking up singles, Malik was growing in confidence; he launched Chahal over the long-on boundary in the 28th over, at the end of which the score was 108-3.
Both Sarfraz and Malik hit 4s in the 31st over as they searched for an extra gear in order to ensure that the match remains competitive in the second innings of the game.
Malik brought up his second straight half-century of the Asia Cup 2018 with a single in the 35th over, at the end of which Pakistan were 141-3.
But Sarfraz couldn’t replicate him, holing out in cover off the bowling of Yadav in the 39th over, at the end of which Pakistan were 165-4. – Cricinfo
