Asia Cup 2018: We Will Come Back Better Prepared Next Time: Sarfraz Ahmed

India proved their title credentials by thrashing arch-rivals Pakistan by 8 wickets in the fifth game of the Asia Cup.

The game, billed as the top draw of the event, ended up as an one sided affair with India throughly dominating the contest. Right from the time, Sarfraz Ahmed decided to bat first till Ambati Rayudu hit the winning runs, it was India’s game all the way.

Pakistan, one of the favourites for the tournament, just could not deliver in any department. While their in-form batsmen fell like a pack of cards, their strong bowling lineup could not cause much of a trouble for the Men in Blue.

Pakistan never recovered after losing both their in-form openers – Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman – for just 3. Jasprit Bumrah kept piling on the pressure by drying out the runs while Bhuvneshwar kept drawing out the edge as Pakistan’s innings never got the impetus.

Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik steadied the ship with a 82-run stand. But India once again went on top by dismissing both of them and skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed in quick succession to reduce Pakistan to 100 for 5. They were soon 7 down for 121 and 150 was looking like a distant dream. However, a 37-run stand between Mohammad Amir and Faheem Ashraf helped Pakistan cross the 150-run mark before they were eventually all out for 162.

The modest total was never going to challenge India’s batting. Early wickets were the only way for Pakistan to assert some pressure on India. However, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan all but ended the game by adding 86 runs for the first wicket off just 13 overs. Shadab Khan ended the stand by dismissing Rohit. Prior to that, Rohit slammed 52 off just 39 with the help of 6 fours and 3 sixes. Dhawan soon departed after scoring 46.

Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu then took India home with utmost ease to inflict a heavy  loss on the arch-rivals.

Speaking at the end of the game, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed rued his side’s poor start and said his team would be better prepared next time.

“The start was not at all good. We lost two wickets in the first five overs. Got some momentum in the middle but again lost wickets and could not recover. We batted poorly and all of us played poor shots to get out. And so many of them were soft dismissals except Babar, who got a good ball. We had prepared for the two spinners but the third one chipped in with wickets. It is nice to get a wake up call early on in the tournament and we would not want to commit the same mistakes. We will come back better prepared next time.