Press Trust of India
Mirpur, Feb 27: Virat Kohli (49, 51b, 7×4) once again showed his big match temperament when he pulled up India from a precarious eight for three and helped them to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in a round robin league match of the T20 Asia Cup here Saturday.
Chasing 84 for victory, India were rocked by the pace and swing of Mohammed Aamir (3/18) as Rohit Sharma (0), Ajinkya Rahane (0) and Suresh Raina (1) all fell in quick succession. It suddenly seemed that Pakistan were firmly back in the game.
But Kohli tackled the initial storm before going into the attack mode from the ninth over of the innings with two lovely cover drives against Wahab Riaz. That over cost 15 runs with Yuvraj Singh (14 n o, 32b, 2×4) also joining the party with a delectable flick through square-leg for a boundary.
The two added 68 runs for the fourth wicket to script India’s sixth victory over Pakistan in seven T20 matches. India also maintained their record of not losing to Pakistan in any World Cup game, both in the 50 overs as well as the T20 format. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, hit the winning shot, a thumping cover drive off Riaz to signal India’s win with 27 balls to spare.
Earlier Indian bowlers demolished the Pakistan batting line-up with a superlative show as they bundled out their arch rivals for a paltry 83.
Collective effort from the bowlers was backed brilliantly by the fielders as it became a ‘no-contest’ from the moment Dhoni opted to field on a pacer-friendly wicket.
Ashish Nehra (1/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/8) dealt initial blows while new sensation Hardik Pandya (3/8) kept up the pressure and recorded the best figures among the bowlers. Then there were two run outs to turn the screws on Pakistan. Following up on the good work of the pacers, Yuvraj (1/11) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/11) contributed to India’s cause.
The only Pakistan player to cross the 10-run mark was wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed (25, 24b, 3×4). This was their lowest score in a T20 against India as they managed only eight boundaries.
Nehra struck with the very third delivery of the game when he got one to kick up from length. Mohammed Hafeez (4), failing to read the extra bounce, attempted a square cut with little room to play the shot and Dhoni took an easy catch.
Left-handed Sharjeel Khan (7) fell trying to pull Jasprit Bumrah. The extra bounce did him in an he could only top edge the ball to Ajinkya Rahane playing for the injured Shikhar Dhawan, at slip.
Then, followed the run out of Khurram Manzoor (10). He was caught napping at the non-striker’s end, after Virat Kohli threw down the ball, to hit the stumps from short cover.
