Asia Cup 2018: Twitter erupts as Bhuvneshwar Kumar removes Pakistan's openers cheaply

The most awaited match of the Asia Cup began earlier today. Even though it is a dead rubber, the excitement among the fans is palpable. While an unchanged Pakistan elected to bat after winning the toss, India brought in Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for Khaleel Ahmed and Shardul Thakur.

Post toss comments from the captains:

Rohit Sharma: Would've batted first. Nevertheless, we now know what we're doing. Have to accept the fact that we were rusty against HK. They played well, showed great determination. To cross the line was a great deal. A fresh game today, guys looking forward to it. Bumrah back, Pandya back too. Shardul and Khaleel miss out

Sarfraz Ahmed: Will bat first. Looks like a good batting pitch, hope to get runs and put them under pressure. Same team. Have to score 280-plus.

India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni(w), Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Pakistan Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan

Powerplay report:

The Indian opening bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah got off to a great start. While Bumrah bowled his first two overs as maidens, Bhuvneshwar Kumar too was accurate and was rewarded with the wickets of Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman.

In the first five overs, Pakistan could manage only four runs for the loss of two wickets. In the next five overs, Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik ensured that Pakistan did not lose another wicket. At the end of the ten overs, Pakistan were 25-2 with the experienced Shoaib Malik trying to build a partnership with Babar Azam.

---

Here's how Twitter reacted to India's exploits in the first powerplay:

Always good to have a bowler supporting you from the other end. Nice to see @Jaspritbumrah93 and @BhuviOfficial compliment each other in the game so far. Should be an exciting game today! #IndvPak #AsiaCup

— R P Singh (@rpsingh) September 19, 2018

If you buy a car, make sure it has the the economy rate of India's current opening attack!

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) September 19, 2018

Something about Pakistan which gets the best out of Bhuvi.. Has been the case right from his debut.. Top start from the men in blue #IndvPak

— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) September 19, 2018

Indian bowlers were not playing well against Hong Kong only to surprise Pakistanis. #INDvPAK

— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) September 19, 2018

Pakistan played a shot to 98.4% of the deliveries they faced in that powerplay, India's accuracy allowing the batsmen to leave just 1.6% of balls. Just twice since the 2015 World Cup have Pakistan batsmen left fewer deliveries in the first ten overs. #AsiaCup #PAKvIND #INDvPAK

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 19, 2018

And Bhuvneshwar Kumar does it !! ❤️🔥 #AsiaCup #INDvPAK https://t.co/fdtU0H2jI1

— Chandler Bing (@SarcasmChamp) September 19, 2018

Imam-ul-Haq appeared to be feeling the pressure, but coming down the track has been a good release option for him. Before today, he'd come down the track to 21 balls from seamers, scoring at 13rpo and never being dismissed. #AsiaCup #PAKvIND #INDvPAK

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 19, 2018

The last and only other time Pakistan had lost first two wickets in an ODI vs India at a lesser score was in 1989 at Karachi - when Manoj Prabhakar ran through Pakistan top-order (in a no result match).#INDvPAK

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 19, 2018

The ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to dismiss Imam was the shortest he bowled to the Pakistan opener. #AsiaCup #PAKvIND #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/TUoRNdRJON

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 19, 2018

As acquaintances didn't do the job, Pakistan has sent in a relative albeit an in-law.#IndvPak

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) September 19, 2018

Bhuvneshwar Kumar picks up his first wicket in ODI format in 35.3 overs conceding 212 runs. #INDvPAK

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) September 19, 2018

Pakistan's batting hopes are falling largely on Babar Azam now, but he is superb in his team's adopted home. In ODI cricket in the UAE, Babar averages 84.80 with the bat. #AsiaCup #PAKvIND #INDvPAK

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 19, 2018

A big match and a big player puts his hand up. Well done, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.Before this match in 2018 in ODIs: 2 wickets in 49 oversToday in 3 overs: 2 wickets#INDvPAK

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 19, 2018

India have started astonishingly well. They've targeted the stumps (17% would have hit), kept their lines tight (just 4% wide outside off-stump) and maintained a sharp average speed of 135.4kph. Fakhar will be frustrated, but India have been superb. #AsiaCup #PAKvIND #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/0K2ZAUcdca

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 19, 2018

Always eyes will be on Jasprit Bumrah’s front foot 😄 #INDvPAK

— #Cricket (@HashTagCricket) September 19, 2018

At #4 for Pakistan... Shoaib Malik ...who has three #AsiaCup 100s, of which two were against India - 143 in 2004 and 125* in 2008#AsiaCup2018#IndvPak#PakvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 19, 2018

The last time India played ODIs on consecutive days was on 10 & 11 Jan 2010 against SL & Ban respectively in Mirpur. #INDvPAK #AsiaCup2018

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) September 19, 2018