DUBAI: Ironically, unpredictability has been Pakistan’s greatest virtues in big matches and big tournaments. On Sunday, they got another unexpected player Mohammad Nawaz to spring a surprise and stun India in the second thriller on the bounce between the two teams in this Asia Cup. Pakistan winning by five wickets with a ball to spare has left India vulnerable in the Super 4s.
Chasing 182, the left-arm spinner came out to bat at No. 4, after returning figures of 1/25 with his left-arm spin, in the ninth over with the scoreboard reading 63/2. With Mohammad Rizwan batting like a rock at the other end, Nawaz launched a brutal counter-attack on the Indian bowlers to score a 20-ball 42, hitting six boundaries and two sixes in front of the wicket, and put India on the backfoot. He nullified India’s middle-over trump card Yuzvendra Chahal, milking him for 1/43 in his four overs.
