Dubai, Sep 23: Team India produced yet another dominant show and defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 9 wickets in their second 'Super Four' encounter in the ongoing Asia Cup 2018 here on Sunday (September 23).
Captain Rohit Sharma (111*) and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (114) stitched a partnership of 210-runs for the first wicket as left Pakistan gasping in the run chase of 238. India reached home in 39.3 overs and recorded their biggest-ever win in terms of wickets in hand against Pakistan.
Batting first Pakistan were restricted to 237/7 in stipulated 50 overs as Indian bowlers fought back strongly in the death overs. Indian bowlers showed tremendous skills in the death and ensured Pakistan remain some 20-30 runs short of the total.
After Shoaib Malik (78) and captain Sarfraz Ahmed's 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket revived Pakistan and laid a foundation for a respectable total for the middle-order to score but Indian bowlers pulled things back and prevented their opponents from scoring freely.
Death-overs specialist, Jasprit Bumrah (2/29), was in sublime form as he conceded less than 3 runs per over to choke the flow of runs with his superb line and length. He was brilliantly complemented by the rest of the bowlers, especially spinners. Wrist spin twins of Kuldeep Yadav (2/41) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/46) picked up two wickets apiece while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja and Kedar Jadhav remained wicketless.
Well done boys. What a joy to watch.Great win for us. Onwards and upwards 💪🇮🇳 #INDvPAK #AsiaCup2018
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 23, 2018
Indian bowlers were complemented equally well by their fielders as they never allowed the Pakistani batsmen to take runs freely.
Coming in to chase the target, Indian batsmen made a mockery of Pakistan bowlers. Dhawan and Rohit stitched a partnership of 210 runs for the first wicket. This was the highest opening partnership for India against Pakistan and also in Asia Cup. Dhawan, however, was run out for 114 but the damage had already been done. The southpaw's innings was studded with 16 boundaries and 2 sixes as he slammed his 15th century.
Bharat !
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 23, 2018
Congratulations on a wonderful victory. Dhawan , Rohit were terrific and this is so wonderful to watch#INDvPAK
Rohit slammed his career's 19th ODI century and completed 7000 ODI runs too and remained unbeaten till the end. The Mumbaikar scored unbeaten 111 off 119 deliveries and struck 4 towering sixes and 7 boundaries.
AS IT HAPPENED:
Well, this brings us to the end of this blog. See you on Tuesday (September 25) when India will face Afghanistan in their third Super Four game. Till then, good bye.
Shikhar Dhawan has been awarded the Man of the Match for his second century of the tournament.
This is biggest win for India in terms of wickets in hand.
Done and Dusted! Team India register another emphatic win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2018. If the previous one in the tournament was by a margin of 8 wickets, this one is even better as Team India win this one by 9 wickets. Rohit Sharma (111*) and Shikhar Dhawan (114) put up a mammoth 210-run partnership for the opening stand and punctured the hopes of their Pakistani counterparts. Ambati Rayudu - the birthday boy - hit the winning runs for India.
Dhawan's average in tournaments involving 5+ nations is just amazing.
Dhawan's averages in ODI tournaments of 5+ matches:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) September 23, 2018
World Cup - 51.50 (8 inns)
Asia Cup - 70. 57* (8 inns)
Champions Trophy - 77.88 (10 inns)#IndvPak #AsiaCup
With 19 Centuries, Rohit has drawn levels with Mahela Jayawardene, Brain Lara, and Ross Taylor.
Most 100s in major ODI tournaments World Cup/Champions Trophy/Asia Cup...
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 23, 2018
10 - Sanath Jayasuriya (81 inns)/Kumar Sangakkara (79)
9 - Sachin Tendulkar (79)
8 - Sourav Ganguly (44)
7 - Shikhar Dhawan (in 26 inns 😱)#AsiaCup2018#PakvInd#INDvsPAK
CENTURY! Rohit Sharma has also notched up his career's 19th ODI hundred with a quick double. Captain's knock from the Hitman and it was constructed so well. He started it slowly and pressed on the gas after completing his fifty.
Birthday Boy Ambati Rayudu walks into the middle as India need 28 more runs to win.
Run Out! Oh No!!! @SDhawan25 gets out in most unlucky fashion after playing a blistering knock. The southpaw departs for 114 and Rohit isn't looking happy as his partner walks back. India - 210/1 in 33.3 overs
Wonderful from Shikhar Dhawan. Never looked like getting out. His driving today was top class
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 23, 2018
That's 15th ODI HUNDRED for GABBAR! Dhawan slams 2nd hundred of the tournament. What an innings this has been from the southpaw.
After 32 overs, India have reached 193/0. Rohit Sharma - 93* and Shikhar Dhawan - 99*.
Record Alert! At 164/0 This is the best opening partnership for India Pakistan in ODIs. They have surpassed the previous best was of 159 between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly which came in 1998 at Dhaka. This also happens to be India's biggest opening partnership in the Asia Cup as well.
RECORD ALERT! 5000 ODI Runs for Rohit Sharma as an Opener! He needed just 61 runs to touch the milestone. The HITMAN is the 4th batsman to do so.
25.2 - 6 - Effortless SIX from The HITMAN! @ImRo45 picks up the ball so early and dispatches it into the stands. 25.6 - 4 - Beautiful cover drive from Rohit and that boundary brought 150 up for India. India have reached 152/0 after 26 overs.
Harbhajan Singh congratulates his former Mumbai Indians' captain Rohit Sharma. Bhajji now plays for CSK.
Hitman hits a fifty too! What a great partnership this is! India looking very strong! 💪🏻 @ImRo45 #PAKvIND #AsiaCup2018
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 23, 2018
That's THIRD CONSECUTIVE FIFTY from Rohit Sharma as he takes a quick double to reach his 36th ODI half-century. He's meditating on the pitch at Dubai. The captain is leading from the front and India reach 119/0 after 22 overs.
Three back to back fifties for the Hitman! This is super stuff from Rohit Sharma, batting with class and patience 😍🔥#CricketMeriJaan #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/vPP1BUDjHK
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2018
Century stand between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan for the first wicket. This is 13th occasion these two have taken their opening stand into triple figures. They have now surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag's record of 12 century-partnerships. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar have had 21 such partnerships.
What makes Shikhar Dhawan & Rohit Sharma such a dominant pairing is their all-round strength. Combining their career statistics together shows that they average more than 45 runs per dismissal against all bowler-types. #INDvPAK #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/B1LcEWE8RY
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 23, 2018
That's Fifty! Shikhar Dhawan notches up his half-century with a boundary on the final delivery of the 18th over. India are cruising in the run chase as they reach 91/0.
Whatttte fifty Gabbar!! Beauty! 🙌🏻 @SDhawan25 #PAKvIND #AsiaCup2018
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 23, 2018
Harsha Bhogle on Pakistan's failure to complement Shaheen's bowling.
Shaheen Afridi's pre-match request to his team-mates "please bhaiyon, ek pakadna, meherbaani hogi..." Such a fine prospect but no support in the field.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 23, 2018
Amir's drought continues....
Amir in the last over bowled his 200th consecutive delivery in ODIs without a wicket. No wicket in last 33.4 overs. #PakvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 23, 2018
After 10 overs, India have reached 53/0 in the run chase. The openers have given their team another fine start against Pakistani pacers. Young Shaheen bowled brilliantly in his first spell and had almost got the big wicket of Rohit Sharma but the fielders have yet again let the youngster down with some sloppy catching.
In first 13 overs of his ODI career, Shaheen Afridi has 4 catches dropped off his bowling. Spare a thought for this 18 years old. #PAKvIND
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 23, 2018
5.2 - SIX! Rohit pulls Shaheen for a maximum as the bowler bowls a short-pitched delivery. 5.4 - Dropped! Rohit gets a reprieve two balls later as the fielder at extra cover puts down a sitter. India 29/0 after 6 overs.
Shaheen Afridi - the tall young speedster - is into the attack and he's getting some brilliant swings early on. He conceded just 1 from the first over he bowled.
At the end of 1 over, India have reached 6/0.
Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are out into the middle to begin run chase. Mohammed Amir starts with the new ball.
Will it be a challenging run chase for India or will the cruise home safely, we'll have to wait and watch.
Harsha Bhogle praises Bumrah's bowling in death overs.
Sensational from Bumrah. Better death bowler in world cricket? Only 38 in last 7 overs
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 23, 2018
End of Pakistan's innings and they have posted a decent 237/7 on the board at the end of 50 overs. Shoaib Malik's 78-run knock and a 90-plus run partnership with skipper Sarfraz Ahmed ensured Men In Green post a decent total on the board. India, on the other hand, pulled things back brilliantly in the death overs after getting the wickets of Malik and Sarfraz.
Good recovery by Pak after the initial stutter but is 237 enough? Perhaps not given how the pitch has played unless they get a couple of early wickets. Fighting score though
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) September 23, 2018
Bhuvneshwar concedes 7 runs from his ninth over and that will be his last over over as well. Not the best of days for the speedster as he leaked 46 from 9 and remained wicketless. Pakistan reach 232/6 in 49 overs.
Wicket! Yuzvendra Chahal clean bowls dangerous looking Asif Ali for 30. This is 50th ODI dismissal for Chahal. Pakistan are 211/6 in 45 overs.
50 ODI wickets for Yuzvendra Chahal in 30 matches - second quickest by an Indian spinner after Kuldeep Yadav (24 games), who too achieved the landmark in this #AsiaCup2018. #IndvPak#PakvsInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 23, 2018