Muscat (web Desk): The Pakistan Shaheens faced a heartbreaking defeat against India A, losing by just seven runs in a tense match at Al Amarat during the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 184 runs, Pakistan ended their innings at 176 for seven.
After winning the toss, India opted to bat first and set a total of 183 runs for 8 wickets.
India’s batting lineup was led by Abhishek Sharma, who scored 35 runs off 22 balls, followed by Prabhsimran Singh with 36 runs off 19 deliveries. Captain Tilak Varma contributed 44 runs off 35 balls, while Nehal Wadhera added 25 runs off 22 balls. Although India lost wickets regularly, they maintained a strong run rate of 9.15.
Pakistan's chase got off to a shaky start as captain Muhammad Haris was dismissed on just the second ball after hitting a six.
His replacement, Omair Yousuf, only managed to score two runs before getting out. Opener Yasir Khan (33 runs off 22 balls) and Qasim Akram (27 runs off 21 balls) tried to stabilize the innings, but Pakistan struggled to form solid partnerships, losing four wickets within the first 10 overs.
As they approached the target, Arafat Minhas and Haider Ali worked together to bring the score past 100 in the 13th over.
However, after Haider was dismissed, Minhas teamed up with Abdul Samad, who scored 25 runs off 15 balls. Unfortunately, both were out before they could secure the win, leaving Pakistan unable to chase down the target.
For Pakistan, Sufiyan Muqeem took two wickets, while Mohammad Imran, Zaman Khan, Minhas, and Akram each claimed one. Despite their efforts, the Shaheens fell just short, resulting in a thrilling match that showcased both teams' skills and determination.
Playing XIs
Pakistan Shaheens: Haider Ali, Mohammad Haris (wk, captain), Yasir Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Zaman Khan, and Sufyan Muqeem.
India A: Tilak Varma, Abishek Sharma, Prabh Simran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Chahar, Anshul Kamboj, Vaibhav Arora, and Rasikh Salam.
