India’s Spin Magic Shines in Asia Cup Win Over Pakistan
In a thrilling Asia Cup clash in Dubai, Team India crushed Pakistan by seven wickets, chasing down 128 with plenty of overs to spare. The match on September 15 highlighted the brilliance of Indian spinners, especially Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who turned the game in India’s favor with their clever bowling.
Axar Patel stole the show in the dressing room, earning the Impact Player of the Match award for his sharp performance. He grabbed 2 wickets for just 18 runs in four overs, dismissing Pakistan’s aggressive Fakhar Zaman and captain Salman Agha back-to-back. This spin attack left Pakistan reeling at 49/4 after 10 overs. Axar didn’t stop there—he also pulled off a stunning catch to send back Hassan Nawaz early, becoming the sixth Pakistani wicket to fall. Thanks to efforts like these, Pakistan managed only 127/9 in their 20 overs.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a fun video where team assistant Nuwan Senevirathne handed Axar his medal. "You’re silent but super effective in batting, bowling, and fielding," he praised. Axar, all smiles, gave a big shoutout to Kuldeep Yadav, the official Player of the Match. Kuldeep’s magical spell of 3/18 in four overs wrecked Pakistan’s middle order. "Donno match mein Kuldeep, Kuldeep bhai hi dikh rahe hai," Axar joked, nodding to Kuldeep’s earlier four-wicket haul against UAE that also won him Player of the Match honors.
Kuldeep was over the moon with his form. "I’ve been grinding on fitness, training, and bowling for two months during our England tour," he said. "I hit my targets there and hoped for a spot in the Asia Cup—the conditions suit my spin perfectly. Staying in rhythm and executing plans made all the difference." He even thanked his Delhi Capitals skipper Axar for some handy tips. "You told me to add more revs and spin while the ball was gripping," Kuldeep shared. "After one over, I tried it—got bounce and took three wickets. You grabbed two, making it five together. Credit to you for reading the conditions and nailing those set batters."
Axar opened up about his own bowling tweaks. "In the last game against UAE, batters found it easy to attack my pace," he explained. "So this time, I slowed it down and put extra revs on the ball." It worked wonders—he took 1/13 against UAE and followed it with 2/18 here. The all-rounder also lauded skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s cool-headed batting. "As a batter myself, I know it’s tough to rotate strike and build an innings," Axar said. "Suryakumar took smart risks, played late, and avoided wild shots. It was a proper mature knock."
Let’s break down the match action. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat but stumbled to 6/2 early on. Sahibzada Farhan’s gritty 40 off 44 balls (with a four and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman’s quick 17 helped them recover with a 39-run stand. But India’s bowlers struck back, reducing them to 97/8. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late fireworks—33 not out off 16 balls with four sixes—pushed them to 127/9.
Kuldeep led India’s attack with 3/18, backed by Axar (2/18) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/28). Hardik Pandya chipped in with one wicket. In the chase, India lost two quick wickets in the powerplay, but Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 31 off 13 balls (four fours and two sixes) set a strong tone. Suryakumar Yadav (47 not out off 37, five fours and a six) and Tilak Varma (31 off 31, two fours) added 56 runs to steady the ship. Suryakumar stayed till the end, partnering Shivam Dube (10 not out) to finish the job with 25 balls remaining.
This victory puts India top of Group A with two wins from two games in the Asia Cup 2023. Fans are buzzing about the spin duo’s dominance—could this be the key to another title run?
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