In a crucial Group ‘A’ T20 match in Dubai, Kuldeep Yadav’s impressive figures of 3-18, along with fellow spinner Axar Patel, restricted Pakistan to 127-9. In response, India lost two wickets after a fiery 31 off 13 balls from opener Abhishek Sharma, but captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 47 secured the win with 25 balls to spare.
No Handshake After the Win
Suryakumar, who celebrated his 35th birthday on Sunday, put on a 56-run partnership with Tilak Varma, who scored 31. The captain hit the winning six, prompting celebrations from Indian fans in the half-empty stadium. However, after the match, players from both teams walked off the field without shaking hands.
India had resisted calls to boycott the match between the two nations, which have not played a bilateral series since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. This year, hostilities in May resulted in more than 70 deaths before a ceasefire was declared. The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies.
In the post-match presentation, Suryakumar stated that India treated the match “just as another game” and dedicated the win to the Indian army. “We stand with the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack, and we express our solidarity,” he said. “We want to dedicate today’s win to the armed forces.”
After hitting the winning shot, Suryakumar and his teammates refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. The captain later said at the post-match press conference that the move was in alignment “with the BCCI and the government.” In response to the Indian team’s action, Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, did not attend the post-match ceremony. Pakistan’s coach, Mike Hesson, later commented, “It was a follow-on effect of the fact that we were obviously keen to engage and shake hands at the end of the match, but that obviously didn’t happen.”
Shaheen’s Cameo in Vain
Abhishek Sharma began India’s innings with an aggressive start, hitting Pakistan’s pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for a four and a six. Despite the fall of Shubman Gill, he continued his charge, hitting four boundaries and two sixes before being caught off a Saim Ayub delivery.
India’s bowlers set up the dominant victory, with Axar Patel (2-18) and Kuldeep Yadav combining to dismantle the Pakistani batting lineup. Hardik Pandya struck in the first over, dismissing Saim Ayub for a golden duck, and Jasprit Bumrah followed up by removing Mohammad Haris. Although Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 40 and formed a 39-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman, Axar broke the stand. Kuldeep then took two wickets on successive balls, leaving Pakistan at 64-6.
Despite the collapse, Shaheen Shah Afridi, batting at number nine, played a vital cameo with an unbeaten 33 off 16 balls, including four sixes, pushing the total past 120 and allowing Pakistan to play out their full 20 overs.
