Dubai, Sep 28 (IANS) Kuldeep Yadav yet again led India’s charge with a four-wicket haul, including three scalps in the 17th over, as India produced a stunning turnaround to bowl out Pakistan for 146 in 19.1 overs in the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

In front of a packed crowd, Pakistan had raced to 113/1 in 12.4 overs and looked like a getting a 180-plus total. But in the face of India’s crafty spinners, who took eight wickets collectively, Pakistan’s batting unravelled in spectacular fashion.

Batters repeatedly attempted aerial shots and perished in an abysmal manner, as they lost their last nine wickets for just 33 runs to squander the early momentum they had. Kuldeep, who went from 23 runs in his first two overs to picking four wickets for just seven runs in his next two overs, was well-supported by Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy taking two wickets each.

Pushed into batting first, despite some swing in offer for Bumrah and Shivam Dube, Pakistan came out swinging in the first three overs, with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman committing fully to the idea of quick runs, something which fetched them three boundaries.

Farhan took on Bumrah by dispatching him for a four and a six, but it was offset by Chakaravarthy and Patel offering control, as Pakistan ended power-play at 45/0. Farhan kept the boundaries going by rocking back to pull Kuldeep for six, before slogging Axar for four and then brought up his fifty in 35 balls.

After Farhan lofted Chakaravarthy over long-on for six, the spinner bounced back by having the batter hole out to deep mid-wicket for 57 and break the 84-run opening stand. Saim Ayub took two easy boundaries off Dube, before slicing to backward point off Kuldeep for 14.

After that, Pakistan began to lose their way: – Mohammad Haris chipped straight to mid-off against Axar, while Zaman went for one shot too many and was caught at backward point off Chakaravarthy.

Sanju Samson held on to catches of Hussain Talat and Salman Agha off Axar and Kuldeep respectively, even as the latter trapped Shaheen Shah Afridi lbw and had Faheem Ashraf holing out to long-off. Bumrah came in to uproot Haris Rauf’s off-stump and had Mohammad Nawaz hole out to deep mid-wicket to end Pakistan’s innings under 150.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 146 in 19.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4-30, Jasprit Bumrah 2-25) against India

–IANS

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