India clean out Pakistan for humiliating 83 in Asia Cup T20 2016 Match 4 at Dhaka

Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah were the pick of India’s bowlers as Pakistan imploded in dramatic fashion as India routed them for just 83 in 17.3 overs in Match 4 of Asia Cup T20 2016. India’s dominance over Pakistan was so thorough that Pakistan were 42 for 6 even before Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja came on to bowl. Ashish Nehra and Bumrah got rid of both openers, while Pandya, Yuvraj Singh, and Ravindra Jadeja struck early in their spells. Pakistan were further hampered by two needless run outs. Bumrah finished with two maidens in his three overs, and Pandya ended with 3 for 8, his best bowling analysis in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Live Cricket Scorecard: India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup T20 2016 Match 4 at Dhaka

Mohammad Hafeez and Sharjeel Khan came out to open for Pakistan, but Hafeez was soon sent packing by Nehra. Hafeez started off with a boundary, but edged behind to MS Dhoni two balls later. Bumrah started off with a maiden over, but was hit for four by Sharjeel off the first ball of his next over. Sharjeel then edged an attempted cut shot to Ajinkya Rahane at slip, as Pakistan lost their second wicket with 22 on the board. Live Cricket Updates: India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup T20 2016, Match 4 at Dhaka

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Pakistan needed to rebuild, but Khurram Manzoor — who was their top-scorer for Pakistan with 10 till his dismissal — was soon done in by a brillaint fielding effort from Virat Kohli. Shoaib Malik played one to Kohli and Manzoor set off for a single only to lose his bat while trying to trun. Kohli siezed up the stumps and get a direct hit to leave Manzoor short of his ground. Pakistan were now 32 for 3. Shoaib Malik then edged Hardik Pandya behind to Dhoni for 4. Yuvraj Singh then bowled the perfect arm ball to trap Umar Akmal LBW for 3. Pakistan’s innings was unravelling, as they fell to 35 for 5.

Pakistan now needed their talismanic captain Shahid Afridi to come good, but age finally caught up with him. Afridi played the ball to the leg side and set off for two but was done in by a tremendous throw from Jadeja. The ball came in flat and right next to the stumps, as Dhoni put on the finishing touches to leave Afridi short of his ground. He was out for 2, and Pakistan were now 42 for 6. Wahab Riaz was then snapped up LBW by Jadeja for 7 and Sarfraz Ahmed, who was the only batsman to look like he was in any type of form, was then bowled by Jadeja. Pandya induced a top-edged pull to get Mohammad Sami out for 7, and bowled Mohammad Aamer next ball to bowl out Pakistan for 83.

Earlier at the toss India were forced to make one change, with Ajinkya Rahane coming into the side in place of the injured Shikhar Dhawan. Ultimately it looked like the change would probably not affect India too much, given their target is merely 84. Pakistan decided to go in with four front line pace bowlers in Aamer, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Sami, and Wahab Riaz, but they had next to nothing to bowl at.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 83 in 17.3 overs (Sarfraz Ahmed 25; Hardik Pandya 3 for 8, Ravindra Jadeja 2 for 11) vs India.

Full Scorecard

(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek who loves cricket more than cricketers. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)