Sensational Rohit And Dhawan Take India Breeze Past Pakistan

Bowlers set the ton and openers finished off in style. This has been India's story in the Asia Cup 2018 so far and today was no different. Riding on Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan's hundreds and 210-runs partnership between them, India thrashed Pakistan by 9-wickets in Super 4 match on Sunday, 23 September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai and became the first team to qualify for the finals (After Bangladesh beat Afghanistan).

Once again the win was set up by the Indian bowlers especially by Jasprit Bumrah who executed the yorkers with perfection in the death overs. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav supported Bumrah with tight bowling. Their effort restricted Pakistan on 237 for 7 before Rohit Sharma (111* off 119 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (114 off 110 balls) century helped India to chase the target down with 63 balls to spare. Unfortunately, Dhawan fell short just 28 runs from target and got run out.



Earlier in the day, Pakistan had won the toss and opted to bat first. And since then, the pendulum kept swinging in both teams favour. Pakistan's problem at the top order continued as Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq again failed to provide the start Pakistan was looking for. In the first power play, they could manage only 28 and lost Imam (10 off 20 balls) who played a steady knock in the previous match against Afghanistan.

Fakhar Zaman who yet to get his first 50+ score in this Asia Cup was looking in good touch but the pressure of dot balls was always increasing and that made Zaman play a long sweep but stuck to the crease and became an LBW victim of Kuldeep Yadav. He made 31 off 44 balls. Pakistan's problem yet to end as Babar Azam got run out on the score of 58 in 15.5 overs.

After losing 3 for 58, Pakistan was needed two of their most experienced players Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed to stand out for them and they did exactly same. The duo put on a 107-run stand for the 4th wicket. When Pakistan was looking to set a big total, Kuldeep Yadav brought back India into the game by dismissing skipper Sarfraz Ahmed who played well for his 44 runs off 66 balls.



However, Asif Ali hit 2 sixes and a four to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and changed the equation of the match with 22-run over. The hope of a big score was still alive with Malik and Asif were playing blunder. But then, Bumrah came to bowl his last spell which turned out be the turning point of the match. On the 4th ball of his final spell, he took big of Malik who made 78 off 90 balls. In the next over Chahal dismissed Asif who played a quickfire cameo of 30 off 21 balls. With the dismissal of Malik and Asif, Pakistan's hopes of a big score were also dismissed and after playing full 50 overs, they restricted to a modest total.

With Bumrah e was executing his yorkers with perfection it became almost impossible to hit him for a boundary. He finished his spell with 2 for 29 in 10 overs. Chahal (2 for 46) and Yadav (2 for 41) also bowled exceedingly well.

Rohit Sharma scored his 19th ODI century and during the innings, he went past 7000 runs and has become 3rd fastest Indian to do that. On the other hand, Dhawan reached his 15th century and therefore he awarded Man Of The Match.



India's next match will be against Afghanistan which will be a dead rubber as Afghanistan has been out from the race of final after losing to Bangladesh.

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