Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has said that the likes of the Mumbai and Punjab cricket teams can defeat Pakistan at this stage, after the 2012 Asia Cup champions slumped to a seven-wicket defeat to India in the ongoing continental tournament in Dubai.
Spinners Axar Patel (2/18 in 4 overs), Kuldeep Yadav (3/18 in 4 overs) and Varun Chakravarthy (1/24 in 4 overs) were immaculate in terms of line and length as none of the Pakistan batters showed the wherewithal to play the troika from their hands.
The result was a lowly 127/9 from Pakistan, which was at least 50 runs below the par score and India chased it down even before the death overs could begin.
“If you ask which of our domestic teams can beat Pakistan, I know for sure Mumbai can beat them.
Punjab can beat them. Next, which IPL team can beat Pakistan? A lot of them,” Pathan said while speaking on Sony Sports.
In the same conversation, former India cricketer and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar said that it was like a warm-up match for Suryakumar Yadav and his side.
“We were thinking about how to build up the game. Pakistan came with spinners and didn’t have fast bowlers. Their bowling was different, but there was no actual difference. From the start to the end, after winning the toss and batting first to the chase, Pakistan weren’t in the competition at all,” Nayar said.
“India were playing versus India and it was more of a practice match for the future,” Nayar added.
In reply to Pakistan’s 127, Abhishek Sharma (31 off 13 balls) flayed their biggest bowling hope, Shaheen Shah Afridi (0/23 in 2 overs) with utter disdain, while Suryakumar celebrated his 35th birthday with a fine 47 not out off 37 deliveries in a chase that was completed in less than 16 overs.
Suryakumar finished it off in style and then walked straight back to the dug-out without shaking hands with the Pakistan cricketers on the field.
