(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
In the bustling cricket scene of Dubai, Hong Kong’s vice-captain Babar Hayat couldn’t hold back his admiration for Team India. He called them the strongest side in world cricket, no matter the tournament—be it the World Cup or Asia Cup.
“India has always been the top team,” Hayat said with enthusiasm. “They’re super professional on the field. Even without stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, they look unbeatable.”
When asked which Indian player stands out as the most dangerous in the current squad, Hayat didn’t pick just one. “I’d say all of them! You’ve got Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, Shubman Gill opening strong, and Hardik Pandya in the mix. Every player in their XI is a winner, and their bench strength is incredible too.”
This praise comes right after India’s dominant win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup match on Sunday in Dubai. The Men in Blue crushed their rivals by seven wickets with plenty of overs to spare, sending a clear message in the tournament.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first, but things went south quickly. They slumped to 6/2 early on. Sahibzada Farhan fought back with a gritty 40 off 44 balls, including a four and three sixes, while Fakhar Zaman added 17 off 15 with three boundaries in a 39-run partnership. But India’s bowlers struck hard, reducing Pakistan to 97/8. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s explosive unbeaten 33 off 16 balls, packed with four sixes, pushed them to 127/9 in 20 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav shone brightest for India, grabbing 3 wickets for just 18 runs. Axar Patel chipped in with 2/18, Jasprit Bumrah took 2/28, and Hardik Pandya claimed one scalp. Their tight bowling sealed Pakistan’s low total.
Chasing 128, India lost two quick wickets in the powerplay, but Abhishek Sharma set the tone with a fiery 31 off 13 balls—four boundaries and two sixes got them off to a flyer. Then, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma steadied the ship with a 56-run stand. Suryakumar smashed 47 not out off 37 balls, with five fours and a six, while Tilak made 31 off 31. He stayed till the end with Shivam Dube (10 not out), guiding India home with 25 balls remaining.
Kuldeep Yadav earned the Player of the Match award for his game-changing spell. With this victory, India tops Group A in the Asia Cup, boasting two wins from two matches and looking unstoppable in the tournament.
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