IND vs PAK 2022 Super 4, Match 2: Who won yesterday’s India vs Pakistan match?

Pakistan beat India by five wickets in yesterday’s (September 4) Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 match in Dubai. In yet another game that went down to the last over, Babar Azam’s men chased down 182 with one ball remaining.

Muhammad Rizwan (71 off 51) guided Pakistan’s chase, while Mohammad Nawaz, promoted to No. 4, smashed 42 off only 20 balls. The duo added 73 for the third wicket at a rapid pace to put Pakistan on top.

India were still in with a chance going into the last three overs, with Pakistan needing 34 with six wickets in hand. Arshdeep Singh, however, dropped the simplest of catches offered by Asif Ali off Ravi Bishnoi’s bowling. Ali, who had not opened his account, combined with Khushdil Shah to club Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/40) for 19 runs in the penultimate over.

Pakistan needed only seven in the last over bowled by Arshdeep. Ali slammed the second ball, which was a full toss, for a four. Although the left-arm seamer trapped the batter lbw for 16, Iftikhar Ahmed sealed victory for Pakistan, slapping a low full toss down the ground for a couple.

Pakistan got off to a poor start again as their skipper Babar registered his third low score in a row. He was dismissed for 14, chipping a flat delivery from Bishnoi straight to mid-wicket. Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman steadied the innings, adding 41 for the second wicket. However, Zaman fell for 15 off 18, trying to take on Yuzvendra Chahal.

Pakistan promoted Nawaz to No. 4, and he proved to be the perfect foil for Rizwan. The pinch-hitter slapped Hardik Pandya for a clean six over long-off in the 10th over. In the next over, Rizwan smacked a full toss from Chahal over deep midwicket.

A slog sweep from Nawaz off Bishnoi also went over the ropes as Pakistan accelerated and put India under pressure. Rizwan reached his second fifty in a row with a couple off Arshdeep.

With the match slipping away, Rohit Sharma brought in Chahal to bowl the 15th over. However, he conceded 16 runs, including three fours, as Pakistan gained further ascendancy in the contest. Nawaz’s blinder (42 off 20) ended when he miscued a smart slower one from Bhuvneshwar to long-off.

Pandya, who was expensive with the ball, gave India hope by dismissing the well-set Rizwan in the 17th over. Pandya (1/44) bowled a slower one outside off and Rizwan lofted it straight to long-off, failing to get any timing on the stroke.

India could have put Pakistan under greater pressure, but Arshdeep's dropped catch shifted the momentum back in the chasing side's favor.

---

Kohli 60 lifts India to 181 for 7

Virat Kohli scored an impressive half-century. Pic: Getty Images

Virat Kohli scored a fluent 60 off 44 balls as India posted 181 for seven after being sent into bat by Pakistan. India got off to a great start as Rohit and KL Rahul added 54 for the opening wicket in five overs. However, the Men in Blue lost their way and stumbled to 131 for five. Kohli held the innings together and ensured India finished with a competitive score.

Rohit got the team off to a confident start, slamming Naseem Shah for a four and six in the first over. Rahul clubbed the young pacer for two maximums in the next over. The carnage continued as India raced to their 50.

Haris Rauf broke the sizzling stand when Rohit (28 off 16) top-edged another attempted big hit. The ball went high in the air and Zaman and Khushdil almost collided. However, the latter hung on to the catch as Fakhar failed to get a hand on the ball. Rahul (28 off 20) also perished soon after as he holed out to long-on off Shadab Khan.

Even as Kohli looked in good rhythm, India kept losing wickets at the other end. Suryakumar Yadav (13) top-edged Nawaz to square leg, while Rishabh Pant’s (14) reverse-sweep off Shadab went straight to backward point. India were in further trouble when Pandya (0) chipped a catch to short midwicket off Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling.

Kohli, who had held the innings together, got to his fifty in style, whipping Hasnain over deep midwicket for a six. Deepak Hooda (16 off 14) perished to Naseem, miscuing a big hit to wide long-on.

Kohli’s vigil ended when he was run out by a direct hit from Ali in the last over. However, two poor pieces of fielding from Fakhar on the boundary allowed Bishnoi to hit two fours as India crossed the 180-run mark.

---

IND vs PAK 2022: Who was Player of the Match in India vs Pakistan T20I?

Kohli top-scored for India with a sublime 60. Young leggie Bishnoi impressed with the ball, finishing with figures of one for 26.

For Pakistan, Shadab claimed two key scalps and conceded only 31 runs. Rizwan anchored the chase with a well-compiled half-century. Nawaz had a brilliant all-round match. He picked up one for 25 and followed it up with a momentum-shifting knock.

Nawaz was named Player of the Match for his stellar all-round performance.