It was a super Sunday for the Indian team as they began their Asia Cup 2022 campaign on a high note after beating their arch-rivals Pakistan in the first match of Group A. The match was an absolute thriller that kept the players and fans from both nations right on the edges of their seats. In the end, it was Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja who helped India seal the contest by 5 wickets. In the process of this victory, the India fast bowlers also achieved a historic feat in T20I cricket as the pacers took all 10 wickets for the first time in a T20I game.
As India came out to bowl first, Pakistan had their best batters - Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam as openers out in the middle. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar and co. had set their plans and executed them to perfection. The fast bowlers executed the short ball ploy against Pakistani batters and kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals. Bhuvneshwar first got rid of the No.1 T20I batter Babar Azam and then Pakistan's batters were never settled by the bowlers. India wrapped Pakistan’s innings on 147 runs. India’s fast bowlers had a great outing as all the 10 wickets fell prey to the seamers.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, and Avesh Khan, the four fast bowling options didn't let Pakistan breathe easy. Kumar picked 4 wickets including that of Pakistani skipper Babar Azam, whereas Pandya scalped three wickets including Mohammed Rizwan's wicket. Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan too joined the party and took two wickets and one wicket, respectively.
Before this, Indian pacers have taken all 10 wickets of the opposition in Tests and ODIs but it was for the first time that the Indian pace battery achieved this feat in a T20I game.
Talking about the match, even after bowling Pakistan out for 147, it was not an easy task for India to chase the target down. The two-paced wicket and tight bowling by Pakistani bowlers kept them in the match. India kept losing wickets before Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya took to the crease to snitch a 52-run stand for the 5th wicket to help the team cross the victory line. Jadeja held one end and scored 35 runs off 29 balls while Pandya smashed 33* off 17 balls. Pandya was also adjudged as man of the match for his all-round performance.
