Dubai, Sep 14: India’s spin-heavy strategy paid off handsomely once again as Kuldeep Yadav spearheaded a clinical bowling display to restrict Pakistan to 127/9 in their Asia Cup Group A clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.

Opting to field just one frontline seamer once again, India’s spin bowling trio of Kuldeep, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy stifled Pakistan by picking six wickets collectively. While Kuldeep took 3-18 and Axar picked 2-18, the duo operated at a miserly economy rate of 4.50, while Varun ended with 1-24.

The sluggish Dubai surface further aided India’s tweakers, whose control and variations left Pakistan struggling for momentum throughout their innings. While Sahibzada Farham top-scored with 40, a late flourish from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who hit an unbeaten 16-ball 33, gave some respectability to Pakistan’s total.

Pushed into bowling first, India began with a bang as Hardik Pandya had Saim Ayub square driving straight to point, as the batter bagged his second straight golden duck. Jasprit Bumrah struck in his first over when Mohammad Haris tried to heave off him, but miscued to deep backward square leg.

Fakhar Zaman, after surviving an lbw appeal off Bumrah, set the tone for rebuilding Pakistan’s innings by swivelling and flicking Pandya for boundaries, before drilling Chakaravarthy straight down the ground for another four. From the other end, Farhan lofted and pulled Bumrah for a brace of sixes, as Pakistan ended the power-play with 41/2.

But with run flow tightened after that, Zaman tried to break free, but holed out to long-on off Axar, who later had a struggling Salman Agha top-edge a sweep to deep square leg. Kuldeep entered the wicket-takers’ list by having Hasan Nawaz miscue a slog-sweep to leg gully, who ran in from slip and followed it up by trapping Mohammad Nawaz lbw with a googly for a golden duck.

Farhan tried holding the innings together – whacking Abhishek Sharma for six, before pulling Axar for four, while Faheem Ashraf slapped Kuldeep over extra cover for a boundary. But Kuldeep struck again by enticing Farhan to slam a wide googly down the ground and was caught by long-on, followed by Chakaravarthy trapping Ashraf lbw.

A brace of sixes from Shaheen and Sufiyan Muqeem, striking Bumrah for consecutive boundaries, took Pakistan past the 100-run mark. After Bumrah sent Muqeem’s bails flying with a pinpoint yorker, Shaheen whacked Hardik for consecutive maximums and ensured Pakistan crossed the 120-mark.

Brief scores: Pakistan 127/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 40, Shaheen Shah Afridi 33 not out; Kuldeep Yadav 3-18, Axar Patel 2-18) vs India.

(IANS)