India outclassed Pakistan in a one-sided Asia Cup clash on Sunday, sealing a seven-wicket win after a dominant show from the bowlers and a calm chase led by skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav’s spin magic and Axar Patel’s control proved too much for Pakistan’s batting line-up, which folded to 127 for nine in 20 overs. Kuldeep bagged three wickets for 18 runs, while Axar and Varun Chakravarthy picked two and one respectively. Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets and 15 dot balls, adding to Pakistan’s misery.
The Pakistani innings was riddled with errors and dot balls, more than 10 overs’ worth. Only Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late cameo of 33 off 16 balls pushed the score past 125.
India’s chase was brisk and clinical. Abhishek Sharma set the tone with 31 off just 13 balls, taking on Afridi with disdain. Suryakumar, celebrating his 35th birthday, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 47, steering India home in 15.5 overs. Tilak Naidu added a steady 31 to ensure there were no hiccups.
Interestingly, India’s players avoided handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts, both at the toss and after the match. Suryakumar finished the game with a six and walked straight to the dugout, ignoring the Pakistan team lined up on the field.
For Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan was the lone bright spot with 40 runs, but he too struggled against the Indian spinners. “The spinners were unplayable. The Pakistani batters had no answers,” a spectator in Colombo said.
