An inexplicable batting collapse saw fancied India A lose to Pakistan Shaheens by eight wickets in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament here on Sunday.
Opting to field after winning the toss, Pakistan Shaheens staged a remarkable comeback to bowl out India A for 136 after they were cruising along at 91 for three in the 10th over.
In reply, the Shaheens chased down the target of 137 with as many as 40 balls to spare for their second successive victory in the tournament, even as India suffered their first loss after starting the campaign with a big win against the UAE.
Opener Maaz Sadaqat top-scored for Shaheens with an unbeaten 47-ball 79, capping off an excellent outing for him after taking two wickets with his left-arm spin bowling.
During his knock, Sadaqat struck seven fours and four sixes while also getting a life when Vaibhav Suryavanshi dropped a sitter at point.
Asked to bat first, teen batting sensation Suryavanshi blazed his way to a 28-ball 45 and Naman Dhir smashed a 20-ball 35 before the bowlers brought Pakistan back into the contest, with medium pacer Shahid Aziz claiming 3/24 in three overs.
There were also two wickets apiece for Saad Masood and Maaz Sadaqat as India lost eight wickets for 35 runs in the last 10 overs after looking at a total of around 175 to 180 at the halfway mark.
Coming off a record hundred in the previous match, Suryavanshi continued in the same vein and was mostly dealing in fours and sixes but while going for one too many, the 14-year-old southpaw holed out in the deep where long-on fielder Mohammad Faiq kept his composure to remain inside the ropes and complete a fine catch off the bowling of Sufiyan Muqeem.
Suryavanshi's wicket, which was confirmed after multiple replays, changed the complexion of the game as Pakistan fought back brilliantly to stifle the remaining India A batters.
Emboldened by the massive breakthrough, the likes of Aziz, Masood and Sadaqat then showed a lot of discipline to tighten the screws on India A.
Brief scores:
India A: 136 all out in 19 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 45, Naman Dhir 35; Shahid Aziz 3/24).
Pakistan Shaheens: 137/2 in 13.2 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 79 not out).
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
