The China Mail - India limit Pakistan to 127-9 in key Asia Cup T20 clash

Electing to bat first in Dubai, Pakistan lost two early wickets and suffered from a lack of partnerships until an unbeaten cameo of 33 from Shaheen Shah Afridi put some sheen on their total.

Spinners Kuldeep and Axar Patel shared five wickets between them.

Hardik Pandya struck in the first over to dismiss opener Saim Ayub for a golden duck and fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah sent back wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris for three.

Sahibzada Farhan, who top-scored with 40, attempted to rebuild the innings along with Fakhar Zaman, who made 17, in a partnership of 39.

Axar broke the stand with his left-arm spin as he got Zaman caught out and in his next over had skipper Salman Agha out for three.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep joined forces and struck twice on successive balls to pack off Hasan Nawaz (5) and Mohammad Nawaz (0) as Pakistan slipped to 64-6 inside 13 overs.

Wickets kept tumbling, but Afridi took on the opposition attack with four sixes in his 16-ball blitz to push the total past 100 and play out their full 20 overs.

India resisted calls to boycott the T20 clash between the nations, who have not played in any bilateral series since deadly attacks in Mumbai in 2008 were blamed on Pakistan militants.

The hostilities in May this year left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire.

W.Tam--ThChM