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2nd Test - West Indies v Bangladesh at Jamaica
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Pakistan won by 10 wickets (with 87 balls remaining) |
Dhaka: India recovered from early jolts to defeat Pakistan by five wickets, registering their second successive win of the Asia Cup 2016 at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.
Chasing a paltry 83, India's top order was shaken by Mohammad Amir's pace and swing as he removed the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in the very first over. He then removed Suresh Raina in his next before Virat Kohli (49) and Yuvraj Singh (14*) guided them out of trouble as India chased down the target in 15.3 overs.
Earlier, on a track which Shahid Afridi predicted to be helpful for the fast bowlers, Pakistan were bowled out for a mere 83 - their third lowest total in T20Is - in their opening match of the Asia Cup 2016 against India.
Hardik Pandya produced his best bowling performance in T20Is, returning with figures of 3/8 while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 2/11 to take the life out of Pakistan batting.
MS Dhoni's decision to bowl first was fully justified as the opening pair of Mohammad Hafeez and Sharjeel Khan lasted four deliveries with Ashish Nehra removing the former as he went for a non-existent cut to be out caught-behind for 4. The ball was short of length, had the bounce but the width was missing.
Jasprit Bumrah then bowled a testing second over to debutant Khurram Manzoor for a maiden.
Dhoni's ploy of keeping a wide slip worked when Sharjeel went after a wide Bumrah delivery to be caught there by Ajinkya Rahane for 7 in the fourth over. By the end of Powerplay overs, Pakistan had lost three wickets, to be placed at a precarious 32/3.
Precarious turned into a full blown crisis when allrounder Pandya's introduction in the sixth over resulted in the biggest blow to Pakistan's hopes. He induced an edge off the bat of Shoaib Malik (4) that was taken by Dhoni, leaving Pakistan at 35/4.
Yuvraj Singh then removed Umar Akmal (3) and skipper Shahid Afridi (2) ran himself out while going for a second run when an alert Jadeja let loose a lightning throw from the deep catching him well short of the crease. Pakistan were gasping for breath and in the danger of being bowled out for their lowest T20I total.
Somehow, they scraped past the 50-run mark in the 11th over but then Jadeja got into the act, trapping Wahab Riaz (4) and then cramping Sarfraz Khan for space, cleaning him up for 25 - the highest of the Pakistan innings.
Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Amir stayed long enough to take the score beyond 74 runs - Pakistan's lowest T20I total before Pandya returned to shut the doors on the innings, removing both tail-enders off successive deliveries.
Brief scores
Pakistan - 83 (Sarfraz Ahmed 25, Pandya 3-8, Jadeja 2-11)
India - 85 for 5 (Kohli 49, Amir 3-18, Sami 2-16)
Result - India won by 5 wickets
Points - India 2, Pakistan 0
Scores | Upcoming | Results |
2nd Test - West Indies v Bangladesh at Jamaica
Bangladesh won by 101 runs 2nd T20I - Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Bulawayo
Pakistan won by 10 wickets (with 87 balls remaining) |