India A narrowly defeated Pakistan A by 7 runs in a gripping opener of the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 on Saturday at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.
Choosing to bat first, India A set a competitive total of 183 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Tilak Varma was the standout performer, scoring 44 runs off 35 balls. He was well-supported by Prabhsimran Singh, who made 36 runs off 19 balls, and Abhishek Sharma, who contributed 35 runs off 22 balls. India started strongly, accumulating 68 runs during the powerplay. However, the introduction of spinners helped Pakistan claw back into the match. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, India managed to build a solid score, with Sufiyan Muqeem emerging as Pakistan’s best bowler, claiming 2 wickets for 28 runs.
In response, Pakistan fought valiantly and even took control at certain points. However, India’s impressive bowling attack, led by Anshul Kamboj, who took 3 wickets for 33 runs, ultimately secured the win. Rasikh Dar Salam and Nishant Sindhu also contributed significantly with 2 wickets each.
As Pakistan attempted to chase down the target, their middle order showed resilience, but they ultimately fell short, ending at 176 for 7.
While India celebrated the victory, there were areas identified for improvement, particularly in managing the middle overs with the bat. Pakistan, on the other hand, struggled in both the powerplay and death overs, failing to contain crucial runs when it mattered most.
Anuj Kamboj was awarded the “Player of the Match” for his outstanding bowling performance. With this hard-fought win, India A looks forward to refining their strategies as they progress in the tournament.
