Pak v Ind: Saim strikes again to knock over Verma but is it too little too late? – Sport

13.4: The Indian skipper Yadav cuts Nawaz for four in a statement of authority!

Frustration for Pakistan on the second ball as Yadav flashes, but the ball falls short of point and goes for four. The India skipper adds to the misery by cutting Nawaz for four past the same fielder two balls later. Pakistan seem to have no answer.

The man with the golden arm strikes again!

Saim has knocked over Verma with one that gripped and spun.

Shivam Dube walks in. India need 28 runs more off the last seven overs as their hundred comes up.

Yadav gets to his highest score against Pakistan in a T20I and then survives a review for lbw. India getting closer to the target as Nawaz floored a return off Varma.

Abrar once again tight but to no avail as Verma and Yadav bring up their 50-run partnership. India are five runs closer to victory.

Where’s a miracle when you need one?

Mid-innings analysis by Umaid Wasim:
Pakistan need a miracle. India are coasting in the chase, there is no run-rate pressure, and Pakistan are having difficulty in exerting spells of sustained pressure. The Green Shirts need quick wickets if they are to have any chance.

9.1: Verma launches Sufyan for six!

Sufyan brought in as Salman tried to stymie India with spin, but Yadav lifted him over fine leg for four — his first boundary. Pakistan need a breakthrough and needed it yesterday!

Three singles off the over as Abrar keeps Verma quiet.

Sufyan brought in as Salman tried to stymie India with spin, but Yadav lifted him over fine leg for four — his first boundary. Pakistan need a breakthrough, and quick.

Abrar looks the likeliest spinner so far to trouble India, although Sufyan is yet to bowl. Gives away just three runs in the over.

Verma welcomed Nawaz with a reverse sweep for four and then got another on the third ball.

India is eating into Pakistan’s total. Required rate dips below five as the powerplay ends with Men in Blue at 61.

Abrar has a loud shout for lbw against Yadav turned down. India failed to get a boundary in the over, just six runs coming off it.

3.4: Saim has struck again!

Just when Abhishek Sharma looked like becoming a thorn in Pakistan’s ambitions of getting wickets and stopping the run flow, Saim struck. It was a case of one too many for the left-handed. Having hit back-to-back fours off Saim, he went for another and was caught at long-off.

Tilak Verma now at the crease. Only eight runs off the over. Saim looks keen to turn it around for Pakistan with the ball.

Sharma v Shaheen again, and the Indian opener gets a four first-ball, slashing a wider delivery, and before hitting a monstrous six two balls later.

Suryakumar Yadav makes a quiet start. He comes into this match with a patchy record against Pakistan.

Saim Ayub is into the attack; let’s hope he can emulate what the Indian spinners did in the first innings.

1.6: Saim has struck with his carrom ball yet again!

Pakistan is attacking with spin from the get-go, with Saim bowling the second over. Shubman Gill hits him for consecutive fours, but it’s one too many as he is stumped off the last ball. Pakistan have the wicket they wanted!

0.1: Newbie Abhishek Sharma welcomes Shaheen Afridi with a boundary off the very first ball of the over.

India get off to a flier. Sharma smashed the first ball back past Shaheen for four and deposited the second ball for six over long-off.

Mid-match summary by Abyan Amir: The Indian spinners ruled the roost as Pakistan stumbled past 120 thanks to an excellent cameo by Shaheen Afridi down the order.

The pick of the bowlers for India was Kuldeep Yadav, who ended with figures of 3-19 as the Indian spinners never let the Pakistani batters settle.

He was ably supported by the left-arm spin of Patel and pacer Bumrah on a pitch that did not have any demons in the first innings.

The Green Shirts have something to defend on board, courtesy of four sixes by Shaheen to end the innings.

India will have to contend with Pakistan’s spin trio of Abrar, Sufyan and Nawaz

Will this be an Afridi cameo to remember, or will India gallop home easily? Only time will tell!

Huge six by Shaheen off Pandya over long-on!

The next one is even bigger! It’s in the second tier as Pandya can only scratch his head.

Shaheen closed the Pakistan innings by smashing Pandya for consecutive sixes to take Pakistan over 120 and bring some cheer to the team’s supporters.

Pakistan have something to defend.

Hundred up for Pakistan!

Sufyan got back-to-back fours off Bumrah to start the over — the first a punch down the ground and the second an upper-cut. Bumrah got back by cleaning up his stumps on the last ball. Pakistan are nine runs away from 120.

17.2: Shaheen smacks another six over long-off off Chakravarthy!

Pakistan suffered another blow when Faheem fell lbw two deliveries later. Shaheen keeps strike for the next over.

16.1: Final hope Sahibzada’s attempt to accelerate brings about his downfall, hitting Kuldeep down Panya’s throat, after a patchy 44-ball 40.

16.3: Shaheen smacks Yadav for a huge six over wide long-on!

55 dot-balls in the Pakistan innings so far

With three overs to go, Pakistan risk falling short of even a run-a-ball total!

Five runs off the over as India keep things tight. Pakistan need to push on with just four overs left

14.3 Calls of shot in the newsroom as Pakistan’s only hope at the moment, Sahibzada pulls Yadav for a single.

Faheem finished the over with a four, but runs continue to be hard to come by for Pakistan.

Umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge’s day is going as badly as the Pakistani batters.

He’s given two howlers, both were missing the stumps by miles.

Sahibzada saw a lbw decision overturned on review and finished the over with a four.

12.4: Hassan Nawaz departs cheaply!

12.5: Mohammad Nawaz is gone first ball!

India will probably feel they can bowl Pakistan out in quick time. Kuldeep has once again tormented Pakistan. Two wickets in two balls — first Hasan Nawaz caught and then Mohammad Nawaz lbw. Sahibzada has been in from the start and now has all-rounder Faheem Ashraf for support. They are Pakistan’s last recognised batting pair.

Sahibzada broke the shackles and launched the first ball down the ground for six. But two dot balls followed before Pakistan got two more singles. Runs are coming slowly for Pakistan.

Singles off the first four balls in Abhishek Sharma’s first over, another off the last ball.

50 up for Pakistan in the 11th over of the innings.

Mid-innings analysis: In the four overs after the powerplay, Pakistan have only got seven runs whilst losing two wickets.

If Fakhar’s departure wasn’t enough, Salman never got going and in an attempt to get quick runs, fell to Patel, who now has two wickets.

Pakistan have to hit out of the spin trap if they are to post a match-saving total. Up to Hasan Nawaz to provide the impetus.

Patel back into the attack as Salman cuts him.

It gets worse for Pakistan. Skipper Salman is caught in the deep.

Salman tried to hit out of the pressure, and only succeeded in getting a top edge off Patel. Pakistan are struggling.

8.2: Salman was adjudged lbw second ball off the over as Chakravarthy changed ends, but Pakistan breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was overturned on review.

Chakravarthy continued bowling a nagging line to Salman with just two runs coming off the over.

7.4: Fakhar is gone!

Axar Patel was brought on into the attack and got the big wicket of Fakhar Zaman off the fourth ball he bowled. Fakhar tried to hit him out of the park, but could only find Tilak Verma running in from long-on.

The onus is now on captain Salman Ali Agha to stabilise the innings.

Only two runs off the over as India’s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav comes into the attack. Pakistan have to start accelerating.

Sahibzada went after Bumrah and swatted him away for six into the stands!

Got two runs after a miscue on the very next ball. Pakistan will be thankful they are just two down at the end of the powerplay, especially after the start they got off to.

India brings on their first spinner — Varun Chakravarthy

4.3: Fakhar slots Chakravarthy for four down the ground

India brought spin to the attack in the shape of Chakravarthy but Sahibzada and Fakhar seem to have now settled down. Fakhar hit him down the ground for four as Pakistan’s rebuild continues.

3.3: Sahibzada smacks Bumrah over wide long-on for a six!

Pakistan’s first six of the innings comes in the 4th over. The early inning jitters are now gone.

Another good over with no losses as Sahibzada and Fakhar look to rebuild Pakistan’s innings. Bumrah bowled two good balls to open the over before Sahibzada smashed him for six over long-on. Those were the the only runs in the over but crucially, Pakistan have not lost another wicket.

Pandya is pulled away for a single by Fakhar.

2.3: Pakistan get their first boundary courtesy a pull by Fakhar.

Good over for Pakistan. Two singles came off the first two balls before Fakhar pulled a short one from Pandya for four — Pakistan’s first boundary. Fakhar got another with a drive through the legside off the fifth ball while three runs came from wides.

1.2: Haris gets a top edge and Bumrah strikes. Pandya catches, running in from fine leg.

Pakistan have got off to the worst possible start. India have their tails up. Haris was the standout in the side’s tournament-opener against Oman but now he departs.

1.4: It gets worse for Pakistan. Fakhar has been adjudged lbw. The left-hander immediately reviewed

Pakistan get a reprieve, the review shows ball pitching outside leg.

Bumrah bowls a splendid first over with some searing yorkers. Gets the dangerman Haris and also had Fakhar, only for it to be overturned on review.

India’s Hardik Pandya starts off with a wide down the legside.

Saim Ayub falls on the very first ball of the match.

Saim Ayub’s troubles with the bat continue. He was also out first ball against Oman.

Mohammad Haris is off the mark on the first ball and Sahibzada also gets off the mark on the first ball.

Haris flashes and misses on the next ball. He blocks the penultimate ball off the over.

He hits out on the next ball and gets two.

The Pakistani national anthem is being played first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Indian anthem is being played next.

Pakistan openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan make their way to the crease.

Analysis by Dawn’s Umaid Wasim: Pakistan wanted to bat first and set an above-par total. India wanted to bowl first. Both sides will be quite happy with the outcome of the toss. Pakistan, though, face a trial by spin. The pitch is the same as the one for India’s opening match against the UAE. India skipper Suyakumar Yadav said at the toss that batting got easier in the second stanza of the UAE game, and perhaps that is why he wanted his side to be batting second.

An India-Pakistan cricket match is always a blockbuster, but emotions will run even higher in today’s Asia Cup clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year.

Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties had been suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments.

Political relations have deteriorated further since the clashes, with several former Indian players urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India to boycott what will be the first meeting between the teams since the recent hostilities.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, speaking at the toss, said: “We’re very excited for the match.”

According to the captain, Pakistan’s rationale behind batting first is that the surface looks to be on the slower side.

His Indian counterpart, Suryakumar Yadav, said this team was really looking forward to this game.

Both teams are unchanged since their last encounters in the tournament.

Pakistan batter Saim Ayub said on Saturday that the team was not just focusing on the Pakistan-India match, but winning the men’s Asia Cup.

While reigning T20 world champions India are the firm favourites to retain their title, Pakistan are on a high, having convincingly beaten Afghanistan to win the final of a tri-series and Oman in the lead-up to the contest.

The two teams last faced each other in February, in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in the ODI format.

The eight-nation T20 tournament began on Tuesday with Afghanistan beating Hong Kong by 94 runs. India crushed the hosts, the UAE, by nine wickets on Wednesday.

Pakistan, India, Oman and UAE are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Bangladesh form Group B.

The top two teams from each Group will qualify for the Super Four stage.

The top two teams will then play the September 28 final in Dubai.

Teams:

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Abrar Ahmed.

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Verma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah.