Pakistan Shaheens fall short against India A in ACC Emerging Asia Cup thriller

In a nail-biting clash, the Pakistan Shaheens narrowly lost to India A by seven runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 on Saturday. Chasing a target of 184 runs, the Shaheens managed to score 176 for the loss of seven wickets, leaving fans on the edge of their seats until the final ball.

India won the toss and opted to bat first, posted a total of 183 runs for the loss of eight wickets. The innings featured solid contributions from the top order, with captain Tilak Varma leading the charge with 44 runs off 35 balls. Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh added 35 and 36 runs, respectively, while Nehal Wadhera chipped in with 25 runs. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, the Indian batsmen maintained a brisk run rate of 9.15, putting pressure on the Pakistani bowlers.

Pakistan's bowling attack, spearheaded by Sufiyan Muqeem, who took two wickets, kept the Indian batters in check. Mohammad Imran, Zaman Khan, Arafat Minhas, and Qasim Akram each claimed a wicket, ensuring that India couldn't run away with the score.

In their chase, the Shaheens faced an early setback as skipper Muhammad Haris was dismissed for a quick six on just the second ball. His replacement, Omair Yousuf, added only two runs before departing, leaving Pakistan struggling at 4 for 2. However, opener Yasir Khan (33 runs off 22 balls) and Qasim Akram (27 runs off 21 balls) steadied the innings, but the Pakistani side lost four wickets within the first 10 overs.

The chase picked up momentum when Arafat Minhas and Haider Ali formed a crucial partnership, bringing the team closer to the target. However, after Haider's dismissal, Minhas, who fought valiantly with a score of 25 off 15 balls, was unable to secure a victory for his team.

As wickets continued to tumble, the Pakistan Shaheens ultimately fell short, managing to reach 176 runs. The loss, while disappointing, showcased the team’s fighting spirit and potential.

Pakistan Shaheens XI: 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 XI: Tilak Varma, Abishek Sharma, Prabh Simran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Chahar, Anshul Kamboj, Vaibhav Arora, and Rasikh Salam.