Pakistan captain Babar Azam feels Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz’s partnership against India was the turning point of the game at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday after they won by five wickets to avenge their Group stage loss in the Asia Cup 2022.
Rizwan and Nawaz added 73 runs for the third wicket alliance off just 41 balls to help Pakistan get back into the contest while chasing 182 runs. Nawaz scored 42 runs off 20 balls while Rizwan scored 71 runs off 51 balls. Both of these players were able to score their runs at a brisk pace and played a key role in Pakistan’s win.
Pakistan was in a spot of bother at 63-2 after 8.4 overs but these two were able to get going from the word go.
Furthermore, Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali were able to add the finishing touches for Pakistan. Ali, who was dropped by Arshdeep Singh when he was on naught, scored a little cameo of 8-ball 16 while Shah scored 14 runs from 11 balls to help Pakistan get over the line in a thrilling contest.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was taken for 19 runs in the penultimate over by Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah and it swung the contest in Pakistan’s favor.
Meanwhile, Nawaz was promoted in the batting order at number four and Azam revealed he had an intuition that the left-hander will hold the key against the Indian leg-spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi.
Babar Azam said in the post-match presentation, “Our effort is to keep it simple. Ups and downs will keep happening. They got the edge the way they utilised the powerplay. But our bowlers made a comeback. Rizwan and Nawaz partnership was the turning point. I had a hunch Nawaz would be key against legspinners (about his promotion).”
Mohammad Nawaz was awarded the Player of the Match for his all-around performance. Apart from scoring a crucial knock of 42 runs, the left-arm orthodox spinner also got the big wicket of Suryakumar Yadav and conceded only 25 runs in his quota of four overs.
Pakistan will next face Afghanistan on Wednesday at Sharjah.
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