India’s spin attack ran rampant as Kuldeep Yadav decimated the Pakistan middle order with twin blows, reducing them to six wickets down in their Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai.
Earlier, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah had provided a blistering start, dismissing Saim Ayub for a golden duck and Mohammad Haris in the first two overs.
Axar Patel then struck twice, removing Fakhar Zaman and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to put the visitors under serious pressure.
Kuldeep Yadav, building on this momentum, nearly gifted Hasan Nawaz a reprieve with a dropped catch on the third ball of his over. But he made no mistake on the very next delivery, trapping Nawaz LBW.
The review confirmed the decision, with the ball tracking straight into the leg stump. Hasan Nawaz was dismissed for a golden duck, falling for 0 runs, leaving Pakistan six down. Kuldeep now stands on the brink of a hat-trick, further increasing the pressure on the beleaguered Pakistani side.
India’s combination of pace and spin, with early strikes from Bumrah and Pandya followed by Axar and Kuldeep’s deadly spin, has completely tilted the contest in their favor. Pakistan’s lower order faces an uphill task to stabilize the innings.
Pakistan invited India to bowl first
India was asked to bowl first after Pakistan won the toss. The Men in Blue opted to continue with their three-spinner combination of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel.
The batting lineup remains unchanged despite vice-captain Shubman Gill sustaining a hand injury during nets ahead of IND vs PAK clash. Sanju Samson, who didn’t get an opportunity to bat in the previous match, will be looking to make an impact against a strong Pakistani bowling attack.
Pakistan, on the other hand, have also gone with a spin-heavy strategy for this high-stakes encounter. All eyes are on Mohammad Nawaz, whom head coach Mike Hesson has recently hailed as the best spinner in the world at present, as the team looks to challenge India in this pivotal Asia Cup 2025 fixture.
