Hardik Pandya Finishes In Style! India Beats Pakistan In Asia Cup 2022

India Pakistan Asia Cup 2022

One of the biggest rivalries was held last night where two big giants fought to win their first match in the Asia Cup. No one thought that this could be so intense, people were on their feet and both teams were under great pressure.

India had beaten Pakistan in their first Asia Cup clash and it was a thrilling match with lots of drama. Hardik Pandya was the main man who finished the match in his style and looked so calm throughout his innings.

Source: Indian Express

Pakistani team did everything to take the match till the end because at the point where Virat Kohli was batting things were slipping out of the hands of the Pakistan cricket team.

Things were clear earlier in the match when India won the toss and decided to bowl first. Because from the beginning Indian bowlers started putting pressure on openers.

India beat Pakistan in a nail-biting match

In the first over of the match, Indian bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar got his early wicket but luckily the decision was reversed by the third umpire.

Source: The Economic Times

Babar Azam managed to hit some runs, but the Pakistani batting line-up struggled while playing Indian pacers bouncers and that became the weak spot for the national side.

Source: Zee News

Most of the players got out on bouncers and no one was able to stay for longer to project a suitable target for their side. In the last over Dahani’s two sixes managed to lead the score up to 147 and gave the opposition 148 runs target.

Indian innings began and Naseem Shah was ready to bowl his debut over. In the very first bowl, Naseem sent KL Rahul to the pavilion with an outstanding swing.

Source: Indian Express

The Indian fans were silent and in shock. Because no one saw that coming, even in the second ball Virat Kohli would have also gone out but Fakhar Zaman dropped his catch, and their things turned around.

Virat Kohli began scoring runs and Rohit Sharma’s rotating strike. In the 7th over Rohit Sharma got out by Muhammed Nawaz and then Virat Kohli.

Ravindra Jadeja took the lead and kept the run rate in a stable situation. Suryakumar Yadav helped him and managed to build a partnership but couldn’t stay longer as Naseem Shah bowled him in a crucial situation.

Source: Business Standard

The match went on till the last over when Hardik Pandya became the hero and finished in style with six in the last ball.

Hardik Pandya was player of the match

Hardik Pandya said in the post-match conference, It’s important to assess the situation and use your weapons,” Pandya says. “The hard lengths particularly. But you have to use them wisely.

Source: Times of India

When it comes to batting, the chances I take when executing, I’m likelier to pull it off when I’m calmer. I knew they had Nawaz waiting to bowl, and while we needed 7, even if we needed 15 I would have fancied by chance.

“I feel the bowler is under a lot more pressure than me. I just needed one six in that final over. I try to keep things simple.”

Skipper Rohit Sharma

It was also an important match for Rohit Sharma, “Halfway through the innings, we still believed,” Rohit Sharma says. “That’s the kind of belief we want to have in this group, where you’re not in the game and you still manage to pull it off. We want to make sure they’ve all been given enough clarity around what to do in the middle. I’ll take wins like this over one-sided wins.

Source: Gulf Today

“The fast bowlers have done very well in the last 12 months or so. We were challenged at times but overcoming those challenges will take us forward. Since Hardik’s comeback into this team, he’s been brilliant. Had a great IPL too. His batting qualities we all know, he has been brilliant with the bat since he came into the team.”

Babar Azam hailed his bowlers

After the defeat in the first Asia Cup game, Babar Azam still confident and praised his bowlers. “Definitely, the way we started the game. We were definitely short by 15 runs on the day and I am proud of the way we bowled today,” Babar said.

Source: News Wali

“The way Dahani stepped up today, both with the bat and ball, but we could not close the game today,” he further added.

“The idea behind Nawaz bowling the final over was that we wanted to go deep and see how things panned out. The idea was to create pressure but Hardik finished well,” Babar said.

Source: Hindustan Times

He mentioned debutant Naseem Shah in the presser and said that he loved the bowler’s aggression.

“Naseem Shah is a very young bowler but bowled so well, and showed so much aggression,” Babar concluded his presser.

Pakistani fans were expecting the same outcome that happened last year in the T20 world cup where Pakistan had outnumbered India in a great way that no one expected at that time.

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