Dubai: Led by Abhishek Sharma's masterly 74, India chased down 172 with six wickets in hand and seven balls to spare at the Dubai International Stadium against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday night, but the story was as much about brains as it was about brute power in the Second Asia Cup Super 4 clash here.
Pakistan had set a tricky target of 171 for five, thanks to Sahibzada Farhan's gutsy 58. There were flashes of brilliance from Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz. Still, it was India's bowling that kept the lid on, with Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dube applying pressure with craft and cleverness rather than raw pace.
Chakravarthy's wrong'uns and flighted deliveries tied down one end, while Dube, astute and inventive, snuffed out Farhan and Ayub at just the right moment. Hardik Pandya's cutters and Abhishek Sharma's sharp fielding, including a perfect run-out of Nawaz, prevented Pakistan from pushing on.
But then came the Sharma show. The young man read the game beautifully, mixing aggression with control. From the first ball, when he launched Shaheen Afridi into the stands for six, he was in the mood. There was no panic, no haste—just a steady, measured domination.
He punished short balls with ferocious pulls, lofted with precision over the infield, and found gaps where none seemed to exist. And when Abrar Ahmed thought he had him caught, Sharma's timing was so exquisite that the ball soared into the top tier—cricketing poetry in motion.
He was ably supported by Shubman Gill, whose reverse-sweep for four and late cuts kept the scoreboard ticking, and Tilak Varma, who finished the chase in style with a six over long-off and a flick into the deep backward square-leg cushions. Hardik Pandya's calmness at the crease ensured there were no late jitters, and India's victory was sealed with seven balls to spare.
And as in the previous outing with Pakistan earlier in the tournament, there were no handshakes as Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya walked off. The only handshakes were exchanged between teammates.
This was a match that had everything: tension, aggression, moments of brilliance, and smart cricket.
Dube and Varun's bowling restrained Pakistan at crucial stages, while Sharma's innings reminded everyone why cricket is as much about thinking as hitting. As always the adage goes, it's not just the shots you play but when you play them that defines a match. Sharma timed his shots to perfection.
In the end, it was a performance that combined flair with intelligence, aggression with patience, something that would have made any cricket purist, or commentator, smile knowingly. India played the game in the right spirit, with the right application, and in the right moments. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win a pressure game against Pakistan.
