At the half-way stage of > Saturday’s blockbuster Asia Cup clash at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, it appeared that the evening would end in an anticlimax. After India had rolled Pakistan over for 83 — its third lowest total in T20Is — with a splendid, aggressive performance in the field, there was, it seemed, only one possible outcome.
Mohammad Amir, though, forced a quick reassessment, striking fear into Indian hearts with a terrific spell of fast bowling on a lively surface. It brought Mirpur to its feet and sparked the contest to life.
The left-armer tormented India’s batsmen with his speed, movement and accuracy, reducing the chasing side to eight for three. Virat Kohli, though, scored an invaluable, composed 49 to deliver his team a five-wicket win, eventually accomplished with 27 balls to spare.
Amir produced two rapid, in-swingers with his first two deliveries, hitting Rohit Sharma on the pads both times. The batsman survived the first appeal for leg-before; he didn’t the second.
Ajinkya Rahane, replacing Shikhar Dhawan in the side, received a similar missile first up. He was out for a duck, leaving India two for two after four balls.
In Amir’s second over, Suresh Raina was caught at mid-on off a leading edge, leaving India stuttering.
It was Kohli that now bore the responsibility of seeing his side home, against Pakistan’s quartet of fast bowlers on a pitch with some juice in it. He survived a tense beginning — a close appeal for lbw against Amir — before growing in confidence.
Amir, who finished with figures of three for 18 from his four overs, was put away for a pair of boundaries. With a small target, all India needed was a couple of good overs, and Kohli calmed his side’s collective nerves with a couple of stunning drives through the covers off Wahab Riaz’s ninth over, which yielded 15 runs.
Kohli was eventually unfortunate to have been given out leg-before, when there clearly had been an inside edge, but he had, by then, done enough.
Electing to field first after winning the toss, India reduced Pakistan to rubble. On a lively surface that offered good bounce, Ashish Nehra struck the first blow in the opening over, having Mohammad Hafeez edge behind. Jasprit Bumrah was yet again excellent, troubling Khurram Manzoor no end in his first over, a maiden, before consuming Sharjeel Khan in his second with an off-cutter.
India’s fielding bore an inspired quality all night, and it was only a matter of time before Pakistan’s running between the wickets was exposed. Manzoor, who will blame his partner Shoaib Malik for a bad call, was run out at the non-striker’s end for 10, Kohli’s throw from the covers right on target. It reduced Pakistan to 32 for three and sparked a clumsy collapse.
Malik did not last long, edging a wide delivery from Hardik Pandya behind. Yuvraj Singh then struck with his first ball, trapping the in-form Umar Akmal in front.
Five balls later, Shahid Afridi was run out, labouring back in pursuit of a second run and caught short by a terrific, flat throw from the square leg boundary by Ravindra Jadeja. Pakistan had sunk to 42 for six, its captain guilty of taking an unnecessary risk. Jadeja and Pandya then finished things off as Pakistan was dismissed in 17.3 overs.
