Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria launched a scathing attack on Pakistan’s performance after their significant loss to India in the Asia Cup Super 4s match on Sunday. India secured a commanding six-wicket victory, effortlessly chasing down Pakistan’s total of 171/5 thanks to a spectacular display of batting from openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.
India’s opening duo set the tone early with an aggressive and dominant partnership, smashing 105 runs within the first 10 overs, effectively putting the game out of Pakistan’s reach. Abhishek Sharma was particularly explosive, hitting 74 runs off just 39 balls, an innings studded with six boundaries and five towering sixes. Shubman Gill provided excellent support, contributing a swift 47 runs from 28 deliveries.
Commenting on the match, Kaneria provocatively remarked, “Sahibzada Farhan might have signaled an AK-47, but Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma responded by launching a BrahMos missile of their own with the bat. Sharma even sealed it with a flying kiss! That’s precisely how you silence the opposition. The Indian openers’ counterattack was so utterly devastating that it completely bewildered the Pakistani bowlers. This wasn’t just a beating; it was a ‘maha dhulai’ – an absolute demolition.”
He further emphasized the quality of the Indian openers, stating, “When you have exceptional players like Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill opening the innings, even a target of 200 appears modest on such a wicket. Both are truly class performers.”
Kaneria also didn’t shy away from addressing the controversy surrounding Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal. Zaman, who had shown promise with two early boundaries off Bumrah, was caught behind by Sanju Samson off Hardik Pandya in the third over, a decision that sparked debate.
“Now, Pakistan will inevitably search for another excuse, and they’ve latched onto Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal. He’ll no doubt complain that he wasn’t out. However, it was a perfectly clear and legitimate catch by Sanju Samson – his gloves were unequivocally beneath the ball. Yet, Pakistan will undoubtedly lament this, invoking the ‘benefit of doubt’ argument. Fakhar, in particular, will cling to this justification,” Kaneria asserted.
Looking ahead, India is scheduled to play Bangladesh on Thursday, while Pakistan will face Sri Lanka on Wednesday.