DUBAI: Pakistan were once again short of a fighting total as they managed 237-7 in their 50 overs despite an attractive half century by Shoaib Malik in the Asia Cup game against India in Dubai on Sunday.

Malik scored a 90-ball 78 with four boundaries and two sixes, but India kept a tight check on Pakistan’s progress after they won the toss and elected to bat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan lost Imam-ul-Haq (10), Fakhar Zaman (31) and Babar Azam (run out for nine) in an unimpressive start to their innings before Malik and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed added 107 for the fourth wicket.

Sarfraz scored a slow 66-ball 44 with only two boundaries before he became one of two slow left-armer Kuldeep Yadav’s wicket who finished with 2-41.

Pakistan’s final total depended on Malik who crucially fell in the 44th over, caught behind off a leg-side edge off Jasprit Bumrah.

Asif Ali smashed two sixes in his 21-ball 30 before he was bowled by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who took 2-38 in his nine overs.

Bumrah finished with 2-29 in his 10 overs.

India kept the same team which beat Bangladesh on Friday while Pakistan brought back paceman Mohammad Amir and the fit again Shadab Khan in place of Usman Khan Shinwari and Haris Sohail from the side which won against Afghanistan, also on Friday.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Chahal 10
Fakhar Zaman lbw b Yadav 31
Babar Azam run out 9
Sarfraz Ahmed c Sharma b Yadav 44
Shoaib Malik c Dhoni b Bumrah 78
Asif Ali b Chahal 30
Shadab Khan b Bumrah 10
Mohammad Nawaz not out 15
Hasan Ali not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-3) 8

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 237

FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-55, 3-58, 4-165, 5-203, 6-211, 7-234.

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi

BOWLING: Kumar 9-0-46-0 (2w); Bumrah 10-1-29-2; Chahal 9-0-46-2; Yadav 10-0-41-2 (1w); Jadeja 9-0-50-0; Jadhav 3-0-20-0.

INDIA: R.G. Sharma, S. Dhawan, A.T. Rayudu, K.D. Karthik, M.S. Dhoni, K.M. Jadhav, R.A. Jadeja, B. Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Y.S. Chahal, J.J. Bumrah.

UMPIRES: R.J. Tucker (Australia) and R.S.A. Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: G.O. Brathwaite (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: D.C. Boon (Australia).

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018