India A suffered a dramatic batting collapse to lose to Pakistan Shaheens by eight wickets in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament on Sunday.
After winning the toss and opting to field, Pakistan Shaheens mounted an impressive comeback, dismissing India A for just 136. The visitors had looked in control at 91 for three in the 10th over before their middle and lower order crumbled.
Chasing a modest target of 137, Pakistan Shaheens comfortably reached their goal with 40 balls to spare, marking their second consecutive victory in the tournament. The loss was India A’s first after a strong opening win against the UAE.
Opener Maaz Sadaqat starred for Pakistan with an unbeaten 79 off 47 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes. He also contributed with the ball, taking two crucial wickets with his left-arm spin. Sadaqat survived a reprieve when Vaibhav Suryavanshi dropped a simple catch at point.
For India, teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi continued his blistering form, scoring 45 off just 28 balls, while Naman Dhir added a quickfire 35 from 20 deliveries. However, India A lost momentum as medium pacer Shahid Aziz claimed 3/24 in three overs. Saad Masood and Maaz Sadaqat also chipped in with two wickets each, triggering an eight-wicket collapse in the last 10 overs after India had looked set for a total around 175-180.
Suryavanshi’s dismissal at long-on, caught off Sufiyan Muqeem, proved pivotal. After his wicket, Pakistan’s bowlers led by Aziz, Masood, and Sadaqat bowled with discipline, strangling India A’s batting lineup and sealing a remarkable comeback.
(By PTI Inputs)
