The China Mail - Kishan hits quickfire 77 as India make 175-7 in Pakistan showdown

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan opposite number Salman Agha did not shake hands at the coin toss, which Agha won and elected to bowl.

The off-on Group A match was only confirmed to go ahead six days ago when the Pakistan government made a U-turn on a threat to boycott the encounter.

India opening batsman Abhishek Sharma returned after a stomach bug but only lasted four balls before falling without scoring.

He shovelled Agha to Shaheen Shah Afridi at mid-on for his second duck of the tournament.

Kishan was unperturbed by the loss of his partner and set about an assault on the Pakistan bowlers, bringing up his fifty off 27 balls with two sixes and seven fours.

He was middling the ball all round the park, so it was a major surprise when he missed a straighter delivery from spinner Saim Ayub and was bowled.

Kishan had dominated the strike so much that when he departed it was with 77 runs out of India's 88-2 after 8.4 overs to his name. He smacked three sixes and 10 fours in all.

India had looked set for a total in excess of 200 while Kishan had been at the crease.

But his departure enabled Pakistan to put the brakes on India's batsmen and, at the second drinks break after 14 overs, they had advanced the score only to 125-2.

Tilak Varma, on 25, became Ayub's second victim, trapped in front and India were 126-3

Hardik Pandya then slogged the next ball and was caught in the deep to put Ayub on a hat-trick.

Shivam Dube was beaten all ends up by the hat-trick ball, but it bounced over the top of middle stump as it turned past the left-hander's outside edge and he somehow survived.

Ayub finished with a magnificent 3-25 from his four overs.

Suryakumar, who was watching the carnage at the non-striker's end, made 32 off 29 balls before he tried to hit spinner Usman Tariq for six in the penultimate over and was caught on the midwicket boundary.

Dube was run out in the final over for 27 and Axar Patel fell last ball for nought to leave Rinku Singh 11 not out.

Suryakumar also did not shake hands with Agha in any of their three matches at the Asia Cup in Dubai last year, including the final.

The cricket teams of the nuclear-armed neighbours only meet in multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues as part of a compromise deal.

It has been more than 18 years since India and Pakistan last met in a Test match, and 13 years since either side crossed the border to play a bilateral series.

The winners of the match will be guaranteed a berth in the next Super Eights round.

W.Tam--ThChM