In a tense and thrilling encounter at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground on Saturday, Pakistan Shaheens narrowly lost to India A by seven runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024. Chasing a target of 184 runs, the Shaheens managed to score 176 for the loss of seven wickets.
India A, having won the toss and elected to bat first, concluded their innings at 183/8. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, the Indian batters managed to keep the scoreboard ticking. Key contributions came from Abhishek Sharma (35 off 22), Prabhsimran Singh (36 off 19), captain Tilak Varma (44 off 35), and Nehal Wadhera (25 off 22).
Pakistan’s bowlers did a commendable job in restricting India A to a manageable total. Sufiyan Muqeem took two wickets, while Mohammad Imran, Zaman Khan, Arafat Minhas, and Qasim Akram each claimed one wicket. Despite the wickets, India A maintained a strong run rate of 9.15 throughout their innings.
In response, Pakistan Shaheens had a shaky start. Skipper Muhammad Haris was dismissed after hitting a six off the second ball of the innings. His replacement, Omair Yousuf, could only add two runs before being dismissed. Opener Yasir Khan (33 off 22 with one four and three sixes) and Qasim Akram (27 off 21 with four boundaries) tried to stabilize the innings, but the Shaheens lost four wickets within the first 10 overs.
Arafat Minhas and Haider Ali managed to push Pakistan past the 100-run mark in the 13th over. However, after Haider’s dismissal, Minhas was joined by Abdul Samad, who played a crucial knock of 25 off 15 balls. The duo kept Pakistan’s hopes alive, but their dismissals ultimately sealed the Shaheens’ fate.
India A’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with their early breakthroughs setting the tone for the match. Despite a late surge from Pakistan, India A held their nerve to clinch a narrow victory.
The match’s playing XIs were as follows:
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, Abhishek Sharma, Prabh Simran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Chahar, Anshul Kamboj, Vaibhav Arora, and Rasikh Salam.
This close contest highlighted the intense rivalry between the two teams and showcased the emerging talents in both squads. Despite the loss, Pakistan Shaheens’ fighting spirit and the promising performances of their young players offer a positive outlook for future encounters.
