Sports Reporter :
Favourites India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a low-scoring match of the Asia Cup Twenty20 Cricket at the flood-lit Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.
Chasing Pakistan’s paltry total of 83 off 17.3 overs, India sailed home making 85 for the loss of five wickets when they had 27 balls to spare.
India made a poor start losing their early three wickets for eight runs.
Later, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh salvaged their team from danger contributing together 68 runs for the fourth wicket stand before Virat Kohli was trapped leg before wicket by Mohammad Sami when India’s total was 76 for the loss of four wickets.
Virat Kohli hit a marvelous 49 from 51 balls including seven fours. Later, Hardik Pandya (0) was caught by Mohammad Hafeez off Mohammad Sami when India’s score was 76 for the loss of five wickets
Juvraj Singh remained unbeaten with 14 runs.
Mohammad Amir restored some parity for his team bagging three wickets for 18 runs.
Besides, Mohammad Sami took two wickets for 16 runs.
Earlier, most of the Pakistani batsmen failed to resist the accurate bowling attack and superb fielding of their arch rivals India.
Pakistan lost their wickets in regular intervals.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and debutante Khurram Manzoor could reach double-digit figures.
Sarfraz Ahmed made his team’s highest of 25 from 24 balls featuring three fours before he was cleanly bowled out by Ravindra Jadeja.
Khurram Manzoor scored 10 off 18 balls.
Hardik Pandya captured three wickets at the cost of eight runs while Ravindra Jadeja begged a pair of wickets instead of 11 runs. J Bumrah, Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra took one wicket each for eight, 11 and 20 runs respectively.
