Dubai: After a brilliant bowling performance by Kuldeep Yadav (four wickets), Varun Chakraborty, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah (two wickets), Tilak Verma (69 not out) and Shivam Dube (33) helped India beat Pakistan by two wickets in the Asia Cup final on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 147, India got off to a poor start and lost three wickets for 20 runs. Abhishek Sharma (five), Suryakumar Yadav (one), and Shubman Gill were out for 12 runs. In such a critical situation, the pair of Tilak Verma and Sanju Samson took the innings forward and added 57 runs for the fourth wicket.
Abrar Ahmed broke the partnership in the 13th over when Sanju Samson was caught by Sahibzada Farhan. Samson scored 24 runs in 21 balls, hitting two fours and a six. Shivam Dubey, who came in to bat next, took charge along with Tilak Verma and scored quickly. Faheem Ashraf dismissed Shivam Dubey in the 19th over.
Dubey scored 33 runs in 22 balls with two fours and two sixes. India won the Asia Cup by five wickets after scoring 150 runs for five in 19.4 overs. Rinku Singh scored the winning four for India. Tilak Verma played a match-winning innings of 69 not out in 53 balls with four sixes and three fours.
For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf took three wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed dismissed a batsman each.
Earlier today, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl first. Coming in to bat, Pakistan got off to a good start with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. The two batsmen added 84 runs for the first wicket. At one point, it looked like Pakistan would post a big total.
Varun Chakraborty ended the partnership by dismissing Sahibzada Farhan in the 10th over. Sahibzada Farhan scored 57 runs off 38 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Saim Ayub (14) in the 13th over. Mohammad Haris (0) was dismissed by Axar Patel.
Pakistan’s fourth wicket fell in the form of Fakhar Zaman, who was caught by Varun Chakraborty off Kuldeep Yadav. Fakhar Zaman scored 46 runs off 35 balls with the help of two fours and two sixes.
Bumrah had Mohammad Nawaz (6) caught by Rinku Singh on the first ball of the 20th over, ending Pakistan’s innings at 146. Eight Pakistani batsmen failed to reach double figures.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets for 30 runs in four overs. Axar Patel, Varun Chakraborty and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each.
