Asia Cup T20, Ind vs Pak: India overcome Amir scare to seal 5-wicket win

India trounced bitter rivals Pakistan by five wickets in a one-sided affair at the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament in Dhaka on Saturday.

Hardik Pandya claimed a career-best 3/8 as India bowled out Pakistan cheaply for 83 runs in 17.3 overs before reaching 85/5 with 27 balls to spare.

Virat Kohli scored 49 runs for India while Mohammad Amir claimed 3/18 for Pakistan. Yuvraj Singh (14 not out) was the other notable contributor for India.

Earlier, collective effort from the bowlers was backed brilliantly by the fielders as it became a ‘no-contest’ from the moment India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to field on a pacer-friendly wicket.

The Indian bowlers made good use of the conditions and the fielding unit also put relentless pressure to effect two run-outs as it threw Pakistani innings in disarray.

Ashish Nehra (1/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/8) dealt initial blows while new sensation Pandya kept up the pressure and recorded the best figures among the bowlers.

Such was the pressure on Pakistan, that spin twins Ravindra Jadeja (2/11) and R. Ashwin were brought in the 12th and 13th over respectively. The only Pakistan player to cross the 10-run mark was wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (25). This was their lowest score in a T20 against India.

Nehra struck with the very third delivery when he got one to kick up from length. Mohammed Hafeez (4), failing to read the extra bounce, attempted a square cut with little room to play the shot and Dhoni took an easy catch.

Left-handed Sharjeel Khan (7) pulled Jasprit Bumrah in the fourth over but was undone by the extra bounce and seam movement as he was caught by Ajinkya Rahane in the first slip.

SCOREBOARD Pakistan: M. Hafeez c Dhoni b Nehra 4, Sharjeel Khan c Rahane b Bumrah 7, K. Manzoor (run out) 10, Shoaib Malik c Dhoni b Pandya 4, U. Akmal lbw b Yuvraj 3,Sarfraz Ahmed b Jadeja 25, S. Afridi (run out) 2, W. Riaz lbw b Jadeja 4, M. Sami c Raina b Pandya 8, M. Amir b Pandya 1, M. Irfan (not out) 0. Extras: (lb4, w11) 15. Total: (in 17.3 overs) 83. FoW: 1-4, 2-22, 3-32, 4-35, 5-35, 6-42, 7-52, 8-70, 9-83. Bowling: Nehra 3-0-20-1 (2w), Bumrah 3-2-8-1, Pandya 3.3-0-8-3, Yuvraj 2-0-11-1, Jadeja 3-0-11-2 (2w), Ashwin 3-0-21-0 (1w).

India: Rohit Sharma lbw b Mohammad Amir 0, Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Mohammad Amir 0, Virat Kohli lbw b Mohammad Sami 49, S.K. Raina c Wahab Riaz b Mohammad Amir 1, Yuvraj Singh (not out) 14, H. Pandya c Mohammad Hafeez b Mohammad Sami 0, M.S. Dhoni (not out) 7. Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 8, nb 2) 14. Total (for 5 wkts, in 15.3 overs) 85. Fow: 1-0, 2-2, 3-8, 4-76, 5-76 Bowling: Mohammad Amir 4-0-18-3 (2w), Mohammad Sami 4-0-16-2, Mohammad Irfan 4-0-16-0 (1nb, 1w), Wahab Riaz 3.3-0-31-0 (1nb, 1w)