Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
A 105-run opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill helped defending champions India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four match, a second victory over their arch rivals in the Twenty20 tournament.
Put in to bat first, Pakistan set India a target of 172, which they reached with seven balls remaining.
A 105-run opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill helped defending champions India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four match on Sunday, a second victory over their arch rivals in the Twenty20 tournament.
Put in to bat first, Pakistan set India a target of 172, which they reached with seven balls remaining.
The Indian openers exchanged some heated words with the Pakistani bowlers early on during the chase, with the umpire having to step in between Sharma and Haris Rauf at one point.
“The way they were coming at us for no reason, I didn’t like it at all and this is the only way I could give medicine to them,” said Sharma, whose score of 74 off 39 balls included six fours and five sixes.
A 72-run partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub for the second wicket laid the foundation for Pakistan’s innings after Fakhar Zaman (15) fell early.
Farhan, who was dropped in the first over by Sharma, completed his half-century in 34 balls, steering Pakistan to 91-1 after 10 overs.
But Pakistan could not hit a single boundary in the next six overs as Shivam Dube (2-33) dismissed Ayub (21) and Farhan (58 off 45) in quick succession.
Unbeaten knocks from captain Salman Ali Agha (17 off 13) and Faheem Ashraf (20 off 8) added 42 runs in the last three overs to help Pakistan reach a competitive 171-5.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
