In a Group A clash in Colombo between the two arch-rivals India and Pakistan, India recovered from an early setback from Abhishek Sharma to start well. India were put into bat first by Salman Ali Agha and India lost Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the first over. From there, Ishan Kishan took the attack to Pakistan spinners and have done well so far to make sure India do not lose too many wickets in the powerplay. The match is in the balance at this stage.
Abhishek Sharma falls for a duck; Ishan Kishan drives India forward in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma came out to bat for India while Salman Ali Agha had ball in hand for Pakistan. Salman bowled a great over and removed Abhishek for a duck. He bowled the ball on a length on the stumps. Abhishek rocked back and looked to pull but the length was not there for that shot. He ended up miscuing it straight to mid-on fielder as Pakistan had first blood now. Tilak Varma came out to bat next.
Shaheen Afridi came into the attack from the other end and was welcomed with a maximum from Ishan Kishan and he took it on and pulled it over square leg for the maximum. Ishan then got a streaky boundary with an inside edge past the stumps for a boundary. Tilak joined in the fun by getting an outside edge that flew between wide slip and deep third man for a boundary.
Salman continued as Ishan sat down on one knee and smoked the slog over mid-on for a boundary. There was another change in bowling as Saim Ayub came into the attack next. Ishan got him away as well and he rocked back and pulled it away through backward square leg for a boundary. Kishan took a risky single as he had to dive at the bowler’s end to make his ground.
Abrar Ahmed came into the attack as Ishan sat down on one knee and bashed the sweep over backward square leg for the maximum. Ishan again waited on the back foot and slapped it through the covers for a boundary. Saim Ayub came to bowl the last over of powerplay. Ishan rocked back and got underneath it to loft it with power over mid-on for a boundary. Tilak got a boundary away as he got the outside edge that went along the ground as the ball went away to third man fence. The 50 came up for India in 6 overs.
At the end of the powerplay, India were 52/1 in 6 overs with Ishan Kishan unbeaten on 42 off 25 balls alongside Tilak Varma unbeaten on 10 off 7 balls. Drinks came onto the field next.
Ishan Kishan drives the Indian innings forward but falls to Saim Ayub in an exciting phase of the game.Â
Abrar Ahmed continued after the break. Ishan was on a roll as he opened the bat face and played it really late to guide it using the pace of the bowler and beat Shaheen at short third for a boundary. Ishan hit another boundary as he crouched low and pumped it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Ishan got his fifty in 27 balls as this was his 9th T20I fifty. Ishan made it 3 boundaries in a row as he unleashed a lofted inside out lofted drive over extra covers for a boundary.
Shadab Khan came into the attack next. Kishan took on Shadab for the maximum by going down on one knee and slog swept the ball over midwicket for the maximum. Ishan then helped it on its way between short fine leg and deep backward square leg. Saim Ayub came back into the attack. Ishan hit him for a boundary by waiting for it and hammered it over backward point.
Ayub hit back and got rid of Ishan Kishan for a magnificent 77 off 40 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes to his name. The good length delivery pitching just outside the leg stump turning away. Kishan stayed back and cleared his front leg and looked to slash it away square of the wicket and went through with the shot a bit early and missed the outside edge as the ball hit the top of the leg and middle stump.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Mohammad Nawaz came onto bowl next. He bowled a good first over as India reached 92/2 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the game with Tilak unbeaten on 12 off 11 balls and Surya unbeaten on 3 off 5 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
India were on the back foot when Abhishek Sharma got out early. But Ishan counter attacked and helped India recover with a brilliant innings of 77 runs that helped India do well in powerplay and reach 92/2 in 10 overs. India with their slight noses in front at this stage but the game can go either way from here. Let’s see as it will be spin to win for Pakistan and India here.
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