Colombo, Feb 15 (IANS) India finished with 175/7 in their 20 overs against Pakistan in a crucial Group A clash of the Men’s T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan was the standout performer, blazing 77 off 40 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, while Saim Ayub’s crafty spell of 3-25 kept Pakistan firmly in the contest.

Kishan’s pyrotechnics at the top gave India the cushion to play within themselves through the middle overs. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav added 57 off 53 balls collectively, but their subdued approach reflected India’s assessment that the surface was not conducive to a 200-plus score, especially with Pakistan bowling 18 overs of spin.

The innings was a tale of two halves: Kishan’s audacious strokeplay in the first 10 overs, followed by Pakistan’s spinners tightening the screws. The grip and turn on offer from the slow pitch suggests batting would not be straightforward, and the final overs saw India lose momentum as Pakistan chipped away with regular wickets.

Whether 175 proves sufficient remains to be seen as on a surface where spin has already dictated terms, Pakistan will need to bat with discipline and intent to complete the chase against a formidable Indian spin bowling line-up.

India’s chase began on a nervy note as fit-again Abhishek Sharma miscued a chip to off Salman Ali Agha’s off-spin and departed for a duck. Kishan, however, wasted little time in asserting himself as he dispatched Shaheen Shah Afridi over square leg for six. A streaky inside edge brought him another boundary, while Tilak Varma opened his account with an edge going past slip for four, as 15 runs came off second over.

Kishan greeted Salman with a lofted four over mid-on, before punishing a short ball from Saim Ayub over square leg for another boundary. Though a couple of deliveries stopped in the pitch, Kishan maintained his tempo by welcoming Abrar Ahmed with a towering six behind square before cutting him through cover for four.

Kishan survived a close call when mid-on almost took his catch, and got a boundary before finding another boundary via a cut. Tilak, meanwhile, edged one past short third for four as India ended power-play at 52/1. When Abrar came for his second over, Kishan opened his bat face for a deft glide past short third for four, before unfurling two commanding strokes – a lofted drive over the bowler’s head and a blistering extra-cover hit – to bring up his half-century off just 27 balls.

Shadab Khan’s introduction did little to halt the run-flow as Kishan swept him over fine leg for four and then launched a towering six over deep mid-wicket, with the sound off the bat echoing across the ground. But after unfurling a dazzling reverse hit over backward point, Kishan was undone by a ripper from Saim Ayub which gripped and turned sharply from leg stump, as the opener backed away far too early and could see the ball crash into the stumps.

Suryakumar Yadav announced his arrival by pulling Usman Tariq’s first ball through the gap between long-on and deep mid-wicket for four. Soon after, Tilak Varma produced the stroke of the evening – a majestic lofted six off Mohammad Nawaz going over extra cover, before Suryakumar survived a tight lbw review off Nawaz.

India’s measured approach through the middle overs was disrupted soon after the drinks break as Ayub returned to trap Varma lbw, after being beaten while attempting a sweep. One brought two for Pakistan as Hardik Pandya, promoted to accelerate, miscued a carrom ball and holed out to long-off for a golden duck.

Ayub nearly had a hat-trick – getting one to dip, turn and bounce past Shivam Dube’s defensive shot and missed the stumps by inches. Pakistan even wasted a review for a caught behind, as the ball had missed the edge comfortably.

From there, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube hit four boundaries between themselves before the former mistimed a slog to deep mid-wicket off Tariq. Dube and Rinku Singh hit three boundaries in the final over off Shaheen before the former and Axar Patel fell on the last two balls of the innings, as 35 runs came in the last three overs.

Brief Scores: India 175/7 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Yadav 32; Saim Ayub 3-25, Salman Agha 1-10) against Pakistan

–IANS

nr/