ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Cup 2024 India A Edges Pakistan Shaheens in Thrilling Chase
Set to chase 184, Shaheens managed to accumulate 176/7 in the allotted 20 overs.
Pakistan Shaheens had a shaky start to the pursuit as they lost two wickets inside three overs with just 21 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Yasir Khan joined forces with Qasim Akram and launched a brilliant recovery.
The duo added 54 runs at a brisk amid their third-wicket partnership but both perished in the ninth over, reducing Shaheens to 78/4 in 8.5 overs.
Arafat Minhas then took the reigns of Pakistan Shaheen’s run chase and put together a one-sided 48-run partnership with Haider Ali, who scored a scratchy nine off 15 deliveries.
Minhas was then involved in yet another crucial partnership for Shaheens when he, alongside Abdul Samad, scored a quick 26 runs for the sixth wicket.
The young all-rounder eventually perished in the 17th over after a fighting 41-run knock, coming from 29 balls and featuring five fours and a six.
Meanwhile, Samad carried on until the first delivery of the final over and walked back after a gritty 15-ball 25.
Abbas Afridi also showed some resilience with his nine-ball 18, but his efforts were not enough to secure the Shaheens’ victory.
Anshul Kamboj took three wickets for India A, while Rasikh Salam and Nishant Sindhu claimed two each.
After Tilak Verma opted to bat first, Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh gave India a flamboyant start.
The openers decimated Pakistan Shaheens’ bowlers in the batting powerplay, the highlight of which was when they smashed Abbas Afridi for 25 runs in the sixth over.
The solid start had set the tone for India A to amass a massive total but Sufiyan Muqeem, introduced after the batting powerplay, struck on the first delivery of his spell to mark Pakistan Shaheens’ comeback.
The left-arm spinner dismissed Abhishek, supported by a sensational diving catch by Qasim Akram inside the circle. Abhishek scored 35 off 22 deliveries, laced up five fours and two sixes.
Prabhsimran followed suit in the next over, falling victim to Arafat Minhas, after scoring a quickfire 36 off 19 balls, hitting three fours and as many sixes in the process.
The back-to-back dismissals halted the flow of runs for India A as Nehal Wadhera (25) and skipper Tilak Verma batted cautiously amid their 38-run partnership which spanned six overs.
India A then suffered another blow to their batting expedition when Ayush Badoni (2) was outclassed by Qasim Akram in the next over, resulting in them slipping to 120/4.
Verma then put together a one-sided 43-run partnership with Ramandeep Singh (17) before finally perishing in the penultimate over.
The India A captain remained the top-scorer for his side with a 35-ball 44, which included four boundaries including two sixes.
Pakistan Shaheens then struck thrice in quick succession but a last-ball six by Rasikh Salam lifted India A to a commendable total in the end.
Sufiyan Muqeem was the standout bowler for Pakistan Shaheens, picking up two wickets, while Mohammad Imran Jr, Zaman Khan, Arafat Minhas and Qasim Akram made one scalp apiece.
Notably, both Pakistan Shaheens and India A are playing their first match in the ongoing ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024.
