IND vs PAK, Asia Cup 2022: Experts Praise Team Pakistan After Narrow Loss To India

29.08.2022 - 14:33 sports.ndtv.com

Severe criticism of Pakistani cricketers is expected after a loss to India but the experts were rather kind to the players after Sunday's narrow defeat against the arch-rivals in the Asia Cup in Dubai. "The reaction to losing to India has not been the usual criticism because in the build up to the match the camaraderie shown by players of both teams towards each other was brilliant while our team also fought hard till the final over,” Pakistan's former captain Moin Khan said.

The match was as watched by millions in Pakistan despite the tragic loss of lives and destruction caused by the torrential monsoon rains and flash floods all over the country.

In Karachi itself, big screens were installed all over the city for the game which ended in a thrilling fashion. “It was a great match and closely fought and I think the Pakistan team even without Shaheen Shah Afridi performed like a champion.

Unfortunately we missed the services of a fourth pace bowler,” former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim said. He said had Pakistan scored 15-20 runs more, they could have won the match. “Our young pace bowlers specially Naseem Shah and Shahnawaz Dahani bowled brilliantly and with so much heart.

cricket India Cricket Team 2022 experts cup loss Shaheen Shah Afridi Bhuvneshwar Kumar Javed Miandad India Dubai Pakistan Karachi

A title clash though is a very different cup of tea from a league stage or Super 4 match. The pressure on the players in a big final is much more. Add to that the fact that the world will be looking at the Lankans today to see if they can take a big step forward in their team rebuilding process and you know that Dasun Shanaka and co. will be very keenly aware of just how much is at stake here for them. Pakistan on the other hand are being tagged the favourites, despite losing to the Lankans in the last Super 4 match.

Asia Cup 2022, Pakistan vs Afghanistan: I had the self-belief to hit sixes, says Naseem Shah

Pakistan tailender Naseem Shah credited self-belief and practice sessions in the nets for his final over heroics against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup. Naseem struck two consecutive sixes in the last over of the game to help his side beat Afghanistan and qualify for the final.

Asia Cup 2022: Naseem Shah's Winning Six vs Afghanistan Reminds Babar Azam Of Javed Miandad. Ravi Shastri's Reply Is Gold

Young pacer Naseem Shah was the star of the show for Pakistan, but it was not with the ball in hand. He won the match for Babar Azam-led side with the bat, in fact, against Afghanistan in the Super 4 clash of the ongoing Asia Cup. Naseem smashed two sixes off the first two balls of the final over bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi to seal a one-wicket win for Pakistan. The match was one for the ages, and even skipper Babar could not hold his emotions at the post-match presentation.

Asia Cup 2022, Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Naseem Shah will remember these sixes for the rest of his career, says Shadab Khan

Afghanistan in the 'Super 4' stage of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 , Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan said that the team was confident that bowlers could bat and Naseem Shah will remember those two sixes for the rest of his career. As a result of Pakistan's win, India are out of contention for the final as Shah's two back-to-back sixes off the first two balls of the final over undid brilliant bowling by Afghanistan throughout the innings and secured Pakistan a victory with the narrowest of margins .

Asia Cup 2022: India out of contention for final even before last match against Afghanistan

Asia Cup final after Pakistan beat Afghanistan by one wicket in a tense 'Super 4' match in Sharjah. Winless in two matches, both India and Afghanistan are out of the tournament and Thursday's match between the two sides here has been rendered inconsequential. With four points each from two wins apiece, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sealed their places in the summit clash to be played on Sunday.

Pakistan vs Afghanistan Highlights: Pakistan beat Afghanistan by one wicket to qualify for Asia Cup final, India out of contention

Pakistan’s ego on a Wednesday night that broke millions of Afghan hearts and knocked India out of the Asia Cup. Naseem's hefty blows may not match the Javed Miandad's last-ball six off Chetan Sharma from 1986, it would hurt Indian fans as much. India's fate in the tournament was hanging on an Afghanistan win and the Afghan bowlers, breathing fire in the cauldron of Sharjah cricket stadium, nearly ran through the Pakistan batting lineup while defending 129/7 before Naseem sealed the deal in the first two balls of the final over bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi. Naseem's hits clinched a thriller for Pakistan with just a solitary wicket. This win has booked a place in the final for Pakistan alongside Sri Lanka, rendering the next two Super 4 matches inconsequential. As it happened: Pakistan vs AfghanistanWhen the Pakistan team walked back into the dressing room after having restricted Afghanistan to a modest 129/7, they would have fancied knocking off the runs with consummate ease. By the last six overs of the match started, the tempers started to fly on the field and the stadium turned into a deafening event arena. Asif Ali charging Fareed Ahmad with his bat after being dismissed at short fine-leg in the 19th over was just an example of the tension on the night.