🏏Asia Cup 🏆2022: India vs Hong Kong🏏 - Page 18

A comprehensive win for the defending champions! Inserted to bat, India didn't get off to a flier as KL Rahul struggled for timing and the run rate was mostly around 7 RPO till the 13th over. But the arrival of Suryakumar Yadav turned the tables. The swashbuckling batter wasted little time to get off the blocks and hit boundaries for fun as he made 68 off just 26 balls. His partnership with Kohli - 98* off 45 - powered India to 192. In reply, Hong Kong lost Yasim Murtaza early but Babar Hayat ensured that his team his team had a good powerplay (51/2). Captain Nizakat Khan got out off a free-hit with Jadeja scoring a direct hit and the scoring rate dipped significantly post that. The Indian spinners hardly offered any freebies in the middle overs and finished with combined bowling figures of 8-0-33-1. Zeeshan Ali and McKechnie hit a flurry of boundaries towards the end to reduce the margin of defeat. Rohit isn't too pleased - probably because Avesh and Arshdeep were expensive today - their combined figures 8-0-97-2.

VK bowing down to SK❤️

https://twitter.com/Rudra1268/status/1565004745210703872?s=20&t=6bycGdHL7oVn_pZGS50AEQ

Babar Hayat: I think that knock (of mine) was much needed. We were chasing around 200 so we needed a good powerplay. I was just playing my shots and it was coming off the middle. I think apart from our bowling, everything was good. So plenty of positives to take from this game. The wicket was a bit tricky and the Indian bowlers are really experienced, they bowled really well.

Originally posted by: Tapdance

Missing the extra bowler today as Pant is in! Avesh got smashed😆

Can't afford to rest Pandya in any of the crunch matches.

That's why he rested today

It was a good decision

Honestly I will always prefer Pant over DK, even when DK is great

Originally posted by: Tapdance

VK bowing down to SK❤️

https://twitter.com/Rudra1268/status/1565004745210703872?s=20&t=6bycGdHL7oVn_pZGS50AEQ

Virat from glaring at him in IPL to this 😆

Its a nice gesture 👍🏼

Originally posted by: Palak2812

I hope they don't go with this behaviour in any other match

HK players are part time cricketers and they did so well so yeh attitute I hope RS talks with his team.

Precisely, the last two overs need a discussion. HK players backgrounds are really heartwarming.

Originally posted by: Palak2812

That's why he rested today

It was a good decision

Honestly I will always prefer Pant over DK, even when DK is great

Send Pant to open and give him license like Sehwag.

Its been a while when india batted aggressively in PP and it puts unnecessary pressure on middle and lower order.

Stat: First time in 14 night T20Is in Dubai, a team has successfully defended a target.

The previous instance came in the semifinal World Cup Qualifiers semifinal in Nov 2019 when PNG successfully defended 130 against Namibia.

Originally posted by: Palak2812

That's why he rested today

It was a good decision

Honestly I will always prefer Pant over DK, even when DK is great

Depends on the situation, both are very unique in their contributions. Pant needs a little time to settle in, DK can go wham wham from the word Go.

Originally posted by: TitForTat

i dont know how many chances he needs to prove himself.

I can understand the logic in persisting with Avesh- he offers something different to the existing bowlers (tall, hit the deck, can be pacy too at 140-145+), and variety is always good in an attack.

Those qualities will be more valuable on Australian pitches that traditionally offer more pace/bounce (and the World Cup is in Australia)

Unfortunately atm his confidence is down, pace and lengths have both gone for a toss and he becomes cannon fodder because the other deliveries that one tends to use in such a situation (think slower bouncer, wide yorker, slower ball etc) aren't exactly his strengths.