As it happened: Pakistan beat India by 5 wickets in Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 clash in Dubai

Wicket brings crowd on the edge

A wicket has now got the packed-stadium on the edge. Arshdeep dismissed Asif Ali leg before to bring the equation to two runs in two balls. Will this be a super over?

Two eventful overs bring Pakistan close to victory

The match is as good as over for India. Two eventful overs, which had a close caught behind the wicket and the third umpire took several minutes to declare not out, a simple dropped chance and then two fours and a six for a total of 19 runs in the 19th over, tilted the match in Pakistan’s favour.

Hardik Pandya gets the big wicket

The man of the match in the previous game, Hardik Pandya has been having a quite game against Pakistan today. But the Indian all-rounder struck at the right time to dismiss the in-form Mohammad Rizwan at the crucial stage. The wicket has brought two newcomers to the wicket, and as every wicket does, and along with it will bring the run-rate down.

Out!

Big wicket, Pakistan's key batsman Rizwan is out for 71. Pandya got an important wicket. Pakistan still have plenty of firepower to score 34 runs in three overs.

60 runs have come in five overs

Chahal could not reproduce his magic and was hit for 16 runs in the 15th over. The last five overs have produced 60 runs and both teams are equal at 135 runs, but Pakistan have lost fewer wickets two against five. It’s the crucial factor in the final five, when India managed just 46 runs.

Game on as Pakistani batter changes the game with just one good over. Pakistan 135/2, needs another 47 runs off 30 balls. Plenty of batting to come. Match turned in Pakistan's favour. Let's watch the last five slogging overs.

Match slipping out of India’s hands

Boundaries are coming thick and fast and Pakistan are shifting gears at the right time. A wicket or may be two is important at this stage. Needing just 63 from 36 balls, it is highly achievable and Mohammad Nawaz is unstoppable. After 14 overs, Pakistan are 119/2.

50 for Rizwan

Rizwan gets his fifty in 37 balls. It's time to open arms and catch up with the dropping run rate for Pakistan. They need need 76 off 43 balls.

India hold a slight edge at halfway stage

India have managed to keep the advantage of the runs at the halfway stage. Pakistan are 76/2 while India were 93/3 at the same stage. But that extra wicket had hampered the Men in Blue’s progress in the latter half, but it’s also becoming difficult to score big runs when the ball gets old. Rizwan’s wicket is the key that India should target.

Leg-spinner Chahal strikes

The Indian bowlers were mounting the pressure on the Pakistan batters, which resulted in breaking the partnership when Fakhar Zaman, after hitting a boundary, hit straight to Virat Kohli at long-on. India need to use this to their advantage and keep the game in control. It’s easy to play the pacers, so India should use the services of Deepak Hooda. The asking rate has already gone past the 10-run mark.

All rounder Nawaz is the next batman. Pakistan needs a good partnership to come back to the match. Pakistan 74/2 in 9.2 overs

Match going in India’s favour

Indian bowlers have restricted Pakistan to 44 for one in the poweplay overs, India were 62/1 at the same stage, which could give the Men in Blue the advantage that they had conceded in the final overs of their innings. India’s ace spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal has been brought in immediately, to get more wickets. So far, the game is going in India’s favour, but the dangerman is Mohammad Rizwan is still batting on 30. After seven overs, Pakistan are 51/1.

Steady start by Pakistan though Babar Azam fell cheaply once again. Pakistan scored 44 runs in six overs of powerplay. Batters need to consolidate but at the same time keep the score board ticking to reach the challenging total of 182. Pakistan needs 138 off 84 balls to win this match.

Bishnoi gives India the breakthrough

India are searching for the early breakthrough, to break the important opening partnership of Pakistan. In a desperate move, skipper Rohit brings in Ravi Bishnoi as early as the fourth over, and the leg-spinner gives what his captain wanted, dismissing the skipper Babar Azam. The Indian bowlers have managed to keep the scoring under check, not giving away too many runs in the powerplay overs.

New batman Fakhar Zaman comes in. He has to make for his drop catch and sloppy fielding. He is inform batsman and he is the one who can help Pakistan win this match. Pakistan 22/1 n 3.4 overs.

Mid-match summary - Indian spinners to play a crucial role in Pakistan chase

Virat Kohli’s half-century guided India to 181 for seven on a slowing wicket in the Super 4 contest of the DP World Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on a Super Sunday. The star batter looked to have regained his scoring touch, scoring his second consecutive half-century.

From the first ball, Kohli was middling the ball and only a run-out in the last over ended his long vigil, where he stood at one when wickets were falling regularly from the other. Kohli desisted from taking risks and compensated by smart placement and aggressive running, showcasing his superior fitness levels. It was one such running, trying to take strike, that he was run out, that’s after batting close to 14 overs in the humid conditions.

After the initial flourish, Pakistan spinners restricted the flow of runs. Similarly Indian spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Hooda, could play a big role in restricting Pakistan’s march towards the target.

India set challenging target of 182

India seemed to have finished at least 10 runs below than what was expected at the half-way mark, scoring just 89 in the final 10 overs. The number of wickets lost in the middle overs halted India’s amazing run-scoring spree. However, the wicket, after the initial flourish, seemed to have slowed down. Still, Kohli stood tall to give India a challenging total of 181 for seven in 20 overs. Ravi Bishnoi’s two fours off the final two balls took India past the 180-run mark.

Out!

Kohli is run out in the last over with two balls remaining. Good last over for Pakistan. Haris Rauf bowled into the block hold and did not allow Kohli to hit freely.

Out!

Naseem Shah finally gets a wicket sending Hooda back to the pavilion. Very good catch by Nawaz on the boundary. India 168/6 and eight more balls to go.

Kohli gets another half-century

Star batter Virat Kohli, playing a subdued role during the last few overs after the loss of four wickets at the other end, has now opened up to take India past the over-par target. In the process, Kohli has crossed another half-century, 32nd in his career. Kohli has been aggressively running the runs, converting the singles to twos and showed how amazingly he is fit to continue to do that. On the other hand, Hooda too has now lost his wickets, bringing Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the crease. How many runs India will score in the next eight balls will determine their result of the game.

Rizwan injured

Match stops for a while as wicketkeeper Rizwan twists his leg while trying to collect a rising 142kph bouncer by the young Mohammad Hasnain. Doctors are out on the pitch trying to get Rizwan back on his feet.

A double blow for India

Wickets have been failing in pairs for India, conceding the initiative. Pant played a reverse sweep, instead his favourte slog-sweep could have taken the ball over the ropes, while Pandya timed the backfoot drive, only to hit straight to the midwicket fielder.

The twin wicket brings Hooda and the last-recognised batting partnership. India are 15 runs short at the moment from the early scoring rate of 10, and cannot afford to lose another wicket. Still, they need to accelerate in the final five overs, Difficult task, but Kohli’s experience should help in the closing overs.

Out!

Another wicket down. This time, Pakistan's fastest bowler Hasnain strikes. He gets the big wicket of Pandya who was caught by Nawaz. Pakistan back in the game with 131/5 in 14.4 overs.

Out!

Pakistani vice captain Shaddab Khan gets the wicket of Pant who was looking good but opted to play a reverse sweep and was caught by Asif Ali, India 126/4.

Pakistan needs more wickets but it's the spinners who managed to take wickets and contain India score run rate, but they have run out of overs. Only one over left by Khan while leg spinner Nawaz has already completed his four. India is expected to have good go to get a good total against the pacers in the slog overs.

Kohli and Pant have arrested the slide

Kohli and Pant have brought India back on the recovery path with sensible batting, getting ones and some hard-run twos. They have done only half the job. The pair, who have added 27 runs in almost the same number of deliveries and should be setting the launchpad for Hooda and Pandya to boost the scoring.

A great spell!

Pakistan desperately needs wicket to slow down the Indian soring rate. India scored the fastest 100 in T20 against Pakistan in just 10.5 overs. A couple of wickets from here can help Pakistan stay in the game. Pakistani pacers could not contain the Indian batters today. Anything beyond 180 runs will be a very tough call for Pakistan.

Another wicket pegs back India

Suryakumar Yadav, who started from where he left off in the previous game, could not sustain the momentum and his favourite shot, the sweep, did not find the right timing and the ball fell into the hands of the deep square leg fielder, positioned for this shot. At the 10-over mark, India are 93 for 3, scoring 31 runs in four overs and losing two more wickets. The scoring has come down drastically, but still the key will now be to protect the wicket for another five overs before they could go for their shots to boost the run-rate. Left-hander Rishabh Pant’s presence means the bowlers will have to alter the line and length regularly, which could be for India’s advantage.

Double-blow for India

Rahul followed his skipper after needlessly going on the offensive, losing his wicket to a catch at long-on. The Indian opener stepped out to loft the ball over long-on, only to mistime it. The bat also turned in his hand, which means the shot did not have the desired power. But Kohli is in good touch and so is Suryakumar Yadav. This pair should consolidate, eschewing all risks. After seven overs, India are 71/2.

Rohit Sharma's dismissal brings scoring rate down

The Indian skipper played a trifle early and skied the lofted straight drive to extra covers and a smart catch brought an end to the impressive knock that gave India a brisk start after being put in to bat. That brings Virat Kohli to a rousing welcome from the Indian fans. Now all eyes on the star batter who looks very assured in his short stay so far. He has to anchor the innings. The wicket has brought the scoring rate down with India scoring just seven runs in the last of the powerplay overs. After six overs, India are 62/1.

Out!

Pakistan get a much needed wicket. Haris Rauf strikes with a slower deliver. Rohit Sharma tried to hit another six but was out caught by Khushdil Shah. 

50 run partnership!

Indian openers playing a familiar role

Indian camp must be heaving a big sigh of relief. Both openers, the backbone of Indian batting over the years, are now in ominous form, playing through the line, trusting the wicket’s pace and bounce. Rahul seems to have turned a corner, hitting two sweetly timed sixes on the straight field, which means he has found his timing again. Skipper Rohit is playing his favourite pull shots with ease shows he too is now ready for a big knock, taking India to 46 for no loss after four overs.

Packed house

Mr Cricket UAE Anis Sajan has his say...

Why India made three changes?

India rang three changes for the game against Pakistan today. Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi are in the team, and the three didn’t play the game against Pakistan last Sunday.

Three changes! Isn’t it too much chopping and changing? What did Dinesh Karthik do or didn’t do to be dropped? In the two matches he played, Karthik wasn’t required to bat. And in the only game he kept wickets, Karthik hardly put a foot wrong? So, why was he dropped?

How did Deepak Hooda come in? Ravi Bishnoi, a leg-spinner: why was he given a chance?

The answer to all three changes is Ravindra Jadeja. His injury upset the balance of the team. Jadeja’s left-handed. To fix that, Pant came into the team, and Karthik had to make for him.

But Axar Patel is Jadeja’s replacement, and he was flown in. The problem is that Axar is not in the same league as Jadeja in batting. So Pant is the answer.

Jadeja’s an allrounder. Deepak Hooda comes to fill that role. But Hooda is a part-time spinner. At best, he can be a sixth bowler. So India needed a specialist. And there comes young Bishnoi.

Incredible, isn’t it? One player’s absence has resulted in three changes.

First over safely negotiated

Indian opener KL Rahul took strike against Naseem Shah, the Pakistan pacer who dismissed Rahul in the previous encounter and he rightly has two slips. But there is no prodigious swing like the last match and Rahul too was not so tentative. A different first over than the last with skipper Rohit Sharma playing more freely, scoring a six and four. The pitch promises plenty of runs. Expect a big score. After one over, India are 11 for no loss.

Pakistan opened bowling attack with pacer Naseem Shah. Team Pakistan is playing with three seamers including Shah, Haris Rauf and young Mohammed Hasnian who has replaced injured fast bowler Dahani. Two full time spinners including left arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz and vice captain Shaddab Khan are also part of the bowling squad.

Toss update

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Super 4 match at the Dubai International Stadium.

India have made three changes with Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi coming in place of Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja and Avesh Khan.

Pakistan replaced the injured Shanawaz Dahani with Mohammad Hasnain.

Toss could prove the vital factor in India-Pakistan tie

A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor

Dubai: All roads lead to the Dubai International Stadium as both India and Pakistan fans have arrived hours ahead of the most-awaited Super 4 clash between the two Asian giants.

There is very little to separate the teams as they play a similar brand of cricket. Surprisingly, this time around the pacers have dominated the previous encounter last Sunday and it is likely to be the same today, though the batters should have a good outing on a pitch that promises plenty of runs with a slight grass covering. Both teams have some injury concerns.

Teams batting first have been having a slight disadvantage and barring the Hong Kong matches, all other games have been won by teams batting second. Even today, the team that wins the toss is expected to bowl first as the fresh wicket could provide some assistance to the pacers early in the match.

In all another cracker of a game awaits the fans, who have already started roaring with every move from their stars. Let’s wait for the umpires to call play