Latest Update: This was not an ideal India-Pakistan cricket match, which usually goes down to the wire. Well, credit to India for not making that happen as they gave a clinical performance, first with the ball in hand and then with the bat. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Co were simply outstanding and after what had happened against Hong Kong, it goes on to show the quality of this bowling attack which has brought significant changes in less than 24-hour time. India and Pakistan are both in the Super 4s and India will be playing Bangladesh on 21 September. Not to forget, they will be up against Pakistan again on 23 September. Goes without saying, that we will be here again, giving you over-by-over updates and latest scores. So do come back again and join us. Till then, take care and goodbye. Preview: The spotlight will on the India-Pakistan rivalry when the six-nation Asia Cup cricket tournament begins here on Saturday. India under the leadership of stand-in captain Rohit Sharma will be the favourites along with Pakistan. The two traditional rivals have been grouped together in Group A. India are the most successful team in the Asia Cup, having won six of the 13 editions of the tournament. But this time it will be an uphill task for the Indian players as they will miss the services of regular skipper Virat Kohli. [caption id=“attachment_5214781” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
India captain Rohit Sharma (L) and Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed. AFP[/caption] But on the pitches of Dubai where the spinners will get turn, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav should be a handful. Kedar Jadhav who is also making his comeback to the side could also support the spinning duo if the situation demands. Pakistan, meanwhile, have won the tournament twice. The first time in 2000, when they beat Sri Lanka in the final, and then in 2012. Fakhar Zaman with his disciplined batting is capable of turning a match with the support of Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, and Sarfraz Ahmed. Shadab Khan will be leading the spin department, while Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi will take care of the pace department. Apart from India and Pakistan, Hong Kong were also clubbed with the two Asian giants. They were previously the part of the Asia cup and will hope to do better than in 2004 and 2008. Batsmen Anshuman Rath will be on spotlight as he played 16 limited overs games and scored with an average of 52.57. Group B includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In the opening match, Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka. Both teams are struggling with the injuries of their key players. Bangladesh have three injured players –Tamim Iqbal, Nazmul Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan –while Danushka Gunathilaka and Dinesh Chandimal were out from Sri Lanka squad but return of veteran pacer Lasith Malinga included some spark in the Sri Lankan squad. The third team which is grouped with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is Afghanistan. Last time they played Asia Cup is in 2014 where they crashed out in the group stages however, they registered their first Asia Cup victory, defeating Bangladesh. Afghanistan’s improvement in the international circuit has increased over the years. With spinning star Rashid Khan in the squad along with Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan’s bowling line-up will be a test for the others teams in the group. With inputs from IANS
Highlights, India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2018 at Dubai, Full cricket score: Rohit Sharma and Co register thumping eight-wicket win
This was not an ideal India-Pakistan cricket match, which usually goes down to the wire. Well, credit to India for not making that happen as they gave a clinical performance, first with the ball in hand and then with the bat.
)
This was not an ideal India-Pakistan cricket match, which usually goes down to the wire. Well, credit to India for not making that happen as they displayed a clinical performance, first with the ball in hand and then with the bat. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Co were simply outstanding and after what had happened against Hong Kong, it goes on to show the quality of this bowling attack which has brought significant changes in less than 24-hour time.
India and Pakistan are both in the Super 4s and India will be playing Bangladesh on 21 September. Not to forget, they will be up against Pakistan again on 23 September. Goes without saying, that we will be here again, giving you over-by-over updates and latest scores. So do come back again and join us. Till then, take care and goodbye.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the man of the match.
Bhuvneshwar: It was a great bowling effort. In absence of Hardik, Kedar did well too. I was trying not to give too many runs to batsmen, that’s the best way to get them out. On these flat tracks and heat, it is not easy for the bowlers and that’s why Hardik got injured.
Well done India. That was a clinical performance following that average outing against Hong Kong last night. The script of this victory was written by the bowlers by bowling out Pakistan for just 162 in the first half. Rest were just formalities.
On Friday, India will be playing Bangladesh here. Let’s hope we will get to see a competitive match.
After 29 overs,India 164/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 31 , Dinesh Karthik 31)
Malik bowls what turns out to be the final over of the match. Karthik and Rayudu both get a boundary each, as India collect 10 off the over to complete a clinical eight-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan! Both batsmen remain unbeaten on 31, with an unbroken third-wicket stand of 60.
After 28 overs,India 154/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 26 , Dinesh Karthik 26)
Rayudu shuffles forward, and goes for an inside-out loft to guide the ball towards the wide long off fence for a boundary. Retains the strike with a single off the last ball. Just nine left for India to win now.
FOUR! Rayudu dances down the track, and lofts the inside-out towards the wide long off fence to collect his second boundary! IND 153/2
10 more to win for India!
After 27 overs,India 149/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 21 , Dinesh Karthik 26)
Shoaib Malik introduced into the attack in the 27th over. Single collected off each delivery of the over, barring the fourth delivery, in which Karthik gets down on one knee and sweeps the ball past short-fine to collect his first four. Nine off the over. India need 14 to win.
After 26 overs,India 140/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 18 , Dinesh Karthik 20)
Karthik cuts the ball towards backward point off the penultimate ball, coming back for a second run. Three off the over.
After 25 overs,India 137/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 17 , Dinesh Karthik 18)
DK dabs the ball towards cover for a quick single off the first ball. Two singles off the over. Partnership between Karthik and Rayudu worth 33 for the third wicket.
Sri Lanka successfully chased down a target of 179 against Pakistan in 1995 at Sharjah in 30.5 overs – the earliest any team has chased down a target of 150-plus against Pakistan in ODIs played in U.A.E..
Can India break the record?
After 24 overs,India 135/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 16 , Dinesh Karthik 17)
The ball travels dangerously close to Karthik’s outer edge as well as the off stump off the second delivery. Three singles off Zaman’s fourth over.
After 23 overs,India 132/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 15 , Dinesh Karthik 15)
Amir returns to the attack in the 23th over. Dots off the first three deliveries. Overthrows conceded off the fourth ball, as an ambitious throw towards the striker’s end allows Rayudu to set off for a single. Karthik goes for an aerial drive next ball to collect a single. Two off the over.
After 22 overs,India 130/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 14 , Dinesh Karthik 14)
Zaman concedes just a single off his third over, with Rayudu setting off for the non-striker’s end off the penultimate ball of the over.
After 21 overs,India 129/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 13 , Dinesh Karthik 14)
Singles collected off each of the first three balls. Rayudu then guides the ball towards the fence behind square on the off side to collect his first boundary. Eight off the over.
After 20 overs,India 121/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 7 , Dinesh Karthik 12)
Zaman continues from the other end. Three singles collected off the over. Karthik and Rayudu in no hurry at the moment to get quick runs on the board. They have 30 overs to collect the remaining 42 runs after all.
After 19 overs,India 118/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 6 , Dinesh Karthik 10)
Quiet over from Faheem, with four runs coming off it, as Rayudu and Karthik choose to rotate the strike between themselves.
After 18 overs,India 114/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 5 , Dinesh Karthik 8)
Fakhar Zaman continues to bowl from the other end. Karthik slogs a half-tracker over the midwicket fence for a six off the second delivery. Eight off the over.
After 17 overs,India 106/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 4 , Dinesh Karthik 1)
Ashraf returns to the attack in the 17th over, and starts off with a full delivery that’s dispatched towards fine-leg by Dhawan. The all-rounder though, succeeds in getting the second wicket two balls later as Dhawan holes out to backward point. Two new Indian batsmen at the crease right now, and Pakistan will feel they have the opportunity to turn things around. Six runs and a wicket off the over.
OUT! The second Indian opener walks back, as Dhawan slashes a back-of-length delivery from Ashraf straight into the hands of the fielder at backward point! The southpaw falls short of a fifty by just four runs. IND 104/2
Dhawan c Azam b Ashraf 46(54)
After 16 overs,India 100/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 42 , Ambati Rayudu 3)
Shadab walks off the field after bowling three deliveries, complaining of some kind of discomfort. Zaman bowls the remaining three deliveries. Two off the over, and India breach the 100-run mark.
After 15 overs,India 98/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 41 , Ambati Rayudu 2)
Dhawan slashes a back-of-length delivery from Hasan towards the fence behind square on the off side, collecting his fifth boundary. He will expected to anchor the chase from hereon. Six off the over.
After 14 overs,India 92/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 36 , Ambati Rayudu 1)
Shadab makes an impact rightaway after getting introduced, deceiving Rohit with a googly to hit his leg stump. Dhawan, though, gets a boundary three balls later, helped by a misfield at extra-cover. Six runs and a wicket off the over. Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu walks out to bat.