India continued its impressive run against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, securing a decisive six-wicket victory in their Super Four encounter on Sunday. This win saw opener Abhishek Sharma unleash a spectacular 74 runs, forming a record-breaking 105-run partnership with Shubman Gill, enabling India to comfortably chase down the 172-run target with seven balls to spare.
Suryakumar Yadav commented there’s no ‘rivalry’ anymore with Pakistan, highlighting India’s consistent dominance and superior winning record against them (Screengrab/YouTube)
The match was played amidst underlying tension, exacerbated by a previous handshake controversy. However, India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, chose to keep the focus firmly on the game, rather than the off-field theatrics.
Addressing reporters post-match, Suryakumar boldly dismissed the notion of a rivalry. He stated, “You guys should stop asking questions about the rivalry between India-Pakistan. According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches, and if it is even, then it is a rivalry. I don’t know what the stat is, but 12-3, this is not a rivalry anymore. I think we played better cricket than them (Pakistan), and also from a bowling point of view.” He was referring to India’s commanding 12-3 head-to-head record against Pakistan in T20Is.
Despite the comprehensive victory, India did face some early fielding challenges, with several catches going down during Pakistan’s innings. The captain light-heartedly remarked, “I think the fielding coach has already emailed players whose hands had some butter on them. It’s good that this happened early on because we have more crucial games going forward.” He quickly dismissed floodlights as an excuse, asserting, “Floodlights can’t be an excuse.”
Abhishek Sharma’s batting masterclass was undeniably the highlight of India’s chase. Yadav lauded the opener’s remarkable composure and keen game awareness, saying, “He is very selfless. He can bat in the same way after the powerplay. But he analyses it beautifully. He is learning every day.” He further praised the opening pair, describing them as “ice and fire,” emphasizing how well they complemented each other.
Explaining the team’s strategy, Yadav revealed the decision to field first after winning the toss: “When we played on the 14th, the wicket was better from the batting point of view. The wicket has improved.”
India’s bowling unit also earned accolades, particularly Shivam Dube’s crucial four-over spell, which proved to be the turning point of the match. “Shivam Dube’s spell was the turning point. He bowled his entire quota and he was very happy,” Yadav noted. Dube’s vital wickets of Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub effectively stemmed the flow of runs in the early stages of the innings.
This victory not only solidified India’s standing in the Super Four stage but also showcased the team’s impressive balance of aggressive batting and disciplined bowling, with Suryakumar Yadav choosing to emphasize superior performance over any perceived rivalry.