COLOMBO: Tayyab Tahir’s sparkling century helped Pakistan Shaheens beat India A by 128 runs in the final of the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

This was Shaheens’ second successive Emerging Teams Asia Cup title, after the side defeated Bangladesh in the 2019 edition final.

After being put into bat, the openers provided a solid 121-run start to the innings. Saim Ayub (59 off 51, seven fours and two sixes) was the first batter to return to the hut. His opening partner Sahibzada Farhan (65 off 62, four fours and four sixes) was the next batter to be dismissed with 146 runs on the board.

After the departure of the opening batters, Shaheens were in a spot of bother when they lost three wickets in quick succession.

Omair Bin Yousuf (run-a-ball 35, four fours), Qasim Akram and captain Mohammad Haris went back to the pavilion with Shaheens 187 for five in 28.4 overs.

At that crucial juncture of the match, Tayyab was joined by Mubasir Khan and the pair stitched 126 runs for the sixth wicket. Right-handed batter Tayyab brought up his fourth List A century off just 66 balls. He was dismissed for 108 off 71 balls, which included 12 fours and four towering sixes.

Mubasir’s 47-ball 35 and cameos from Mehran Mumtaz (13 off 10) and Mohammad Wasim Jr (17 not out off 10) helped Shaheens post a mammoth 352 for eight in 50 overs.

For India A, Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Riyan Parag bagged two wickets apiece.

Chasing 353, India A openers got off to a decent start, stitching a 64-run partnership for the first wicket, but once the opening stand was broken, India A were never in the hunt and were bundled out for 224 in 40 overs.

Opening batter Abhishek Sharma top-scored with a 51-ball 61, hitting five fours and a six.

For Shaheens, Sufiyan Muqeem bagged three wickets for 66, while Arshad Iqbal, Mehran and Wasim Jr took two wickets each.

Tayyab, for his century, was named the player of the final.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN SHAHEENS:

Saim Ayub c Jurel b Suthar59

Sahibzada Farhan run out (Dhull)65

Omair Bin Yousuf c & b Parag35

Tayyab Tahir c Sharma b Hangargekar108

Qasim Akram c Rana b Parag0

Mohammad Haris lbw b Sindhu2

Mubasir Khan c sub b Hangargekar35

Mehran Mumtaz c Jurel b Rana13

Mohammad Wasim not out17

Sufiyan Muqeem not out4

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-1, NB-1, W-10)14

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 50 overs)352

DID NOT BAT: Arshad Iqbal

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-121 (Saim), 2-146 (Farhan), 3-183 (Omair), 4-183 (Qasim), 5-187 (Haris), 6-313 (Tayyab), 7-322 (Mubasir), 8-332 (Mehran)

BOWLING: Rana 6-0-51-1 (2w), Hangargekar 6-0-48-2 (2w, 1nb), Sharma 9-0-54-0, Dodiya 7-1-56-0 (1w), Suthar 9-0-68-1, Sindhu 9-0-48-1, Parag 4-0-24-2 (1w)

INDIA A:

S. Sudharsan c Haris b Arshad29

A. Sharma c Tayyab b Sufiyan61

N. Jose c Haris b Wasim11

Y. Dhull c Saim b Sufiyan39

N. Sindhu c Tayyab b Mubasir10

D. Jurelc Farhan b Mehran9

R. Parag b Mehran14

H. Rana c Farhan b Sufiyan13

M. Suthar not out7

R. Hangargekar b Arshad11

Y. Dodiya b Wasim5

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-8)15

TOTAL (all out, 40 overs)224

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-64 (Sudharsan), 2-80 (Jose), 3-132 (Sharma), 4-157 (Sindhu), 5-159 (Dhull), 6-179 (Jurel), 7-188 (Parag), 8-194 (Rana), 9-212 (Hangargekar)

BOWLING: Arshad 7-0-34-2 (2w), Qasim 3-0-23-0 (1w), Mubasir 6-0-38-1, Mehran 8-0-30-2, Wasim 6-0-26-2 (1w), Sufiyan 10-0-66-3

RESULT: Pakistan Shaheens won by 128 runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Tayyab Tahir

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2023