In the ongoing Emerging Asia Cup 2024 match between India A and Pakistan A at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, India A captain Tilak Varma won the toss and chose to bat first.
The decision proved successful as openers Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh gave India A a strong start, putting together a 68-run partnership for the first wicket.
Abhishek Sharma Dominates Abbas Afridi
Prabhsimran played a brisk knock of 36 off 19 balls, while Abhishek Sharma contributed 35 off 22 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes. Sharma had a cautious start, scoring 14 from 16 deliveries, but shifted gears in the sixth over when he attacked Abbas Afridi. On the first ball of the over, Sharma edged one for a boundary through the slip cordon, followed by a beautiful cover drive for four. He then went aerial, smashing Afridi for two consecutive sixes, collecting 20 runs off four balls in that over.
Abhishek Sharma’s Heated Exchange with Sufiyan Muqeem
Sharma’s aggressive innings came to an end when he was dismissed by Sufiyan Muqeem. The Pakistani bowler celebrated with an animated send-off, which didn’t sit well with Sharma. The SRH opener responded with a fierce death stare before walking back to the pavilion.
This knock was crucial for Abhishek, who had struggled in the series against Bangladesh and is looking to secure his place in the T20I squad for the upcoming South Africa series.
At the time of writing, India A has posted 183/6 in their 20 overs, while Pakistan A has lost their captain Mohammad Haris and are 6/1 after 0.2 overs.
