India crush Pakistan by seven wickets in Asia Cup clash

India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in a high-voltage Asia Cup clash on Sunday, their first cricket meeting since a brief military conflict earlier this year.

Chasing 128, skipper Suryakumar Yadav anchored India’s reply with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls. The world champions cruised home with 25 deliveries to spare at the Dubai International Stadium.

Spinners led by Kuldeep Yadav helped India achieve the second consecutive victory in the tournament.

Kuldeep returned figures of 3-18 and along with fellow spinner Axar Patel kept Pakistan down to 127-9 in a key Group A T20 clash in Dubai.

India lost two wickets after a fiery 31 off 13 balls from opener Abhishek Sharma, but skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten 47 to achieve the target with 25 balls to spare.

Suryakumar put on 56 runs with left-hander Tilak Varma, who hit 31 before being bowled by Saim Ayub.

The captain stood firm and hit the winning six as Indian fans celebrated at a stadium, which had lot of empty seats, and the players from both teams went off without handshakes.

Abhishek came out roaring as he hit Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for a four and a six and, despite the fall of Shubman Gill in the next over, kept up the charge.

Swashbuckling Abhishek cracked four boundaries and two sixes before he mistimed another attempt for a maximum to be caught at long-off off spinner Ayub.

Pakistan’s innings had collapsed under pressure after captain Agha Salman won the toss and chose to bat. The Green Shirts were restricted to 127 for nine, with late resistance from Shaheen Shah Afridi’s blistering cameo of 33 off 16 balls.

Pakistan's Salman Agha looks dejected as he walks to the pavilion after he is cuaght out by India's Abhishek Sharma off the bowling of India's Axar Patel. Reuters

The innings started disastrously when opener Saim Ayub fell first ball, edging Jasprit Bumrah to point for his second straight golden duck. Mohammad Haris, Pakistan’s hero against Oman, followed soon after, caught off Bumrah for 3. Pakistan slumped to 6 for 2.

Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman rebuilt with a 39-run stand, but Zaman perished to Axar Patel’s left-arm spin. Salman struggled to rotate strike and was dismissed with Pakistan limping at 49 for 4 at the halfway mark.

Kuldeep Yadav tightened India’s grip with two wickets in two balls, removing Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz. Farhan’s gritty 40 off 44 ended soon after, leaving Afridi to lift the total with four towering sixes in the final overs.

Kuldeep finished with 3-18 in four overs. Bumrah and Patel picked up two wickets each, while Varun Chakravarthy also struck.

India's Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's Salman Agha during the coin toss. Reuters

Pakistan play hosts United Arab Emirates next and despite the defeat are expected to make the next stage.

The Dubai contest carried political weight as well as sporting drama. The neighbors had clashed militarily in May in a four-day conflict that nearly escalated into full-scale war. Cricketing ties remain suspended outside multi-nation tournaments, and calls for India to boycott the game had come from some former players.

India entered the match as clear favorites. They opened the tournament by thrashing the United Arab Emirates in less than five overs. Pakistan, without former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, beat Oman earlier but continue to struggle with batting depth.

The Asia Cup features eight teams in two groups. India, Pakistan, Oman and UAE form Group A. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Bangladesh make up Group B. The top two from each pool progress to the Super Four, with the final set for Sept. 28 in Dubai.

India now lead the T20 head-to-head record 11-3 against Pakistan. Their rivals’ last major win came at the same venue in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

*With input from AFP