Asian Games final: Varma, Dube late surge lifts India to 211-6 against Pakistan

Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube launched a late assault as India recovered from a mid-innings slowdown to post a formidable 211 for six against Pakistan in the Asian Games men’s cricket final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan on Saturday. Varma smashed an unbeaten 51 off just 22 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes, while Dube made 27 off 15 balls with two fours and two sixes as the pair added 62 from 31 deliveries for the sixth wicket. Their onslaught came after Pakistan had managed to pull India back following a blistering start, but the defending champions conceded 46 runs in the final three overs to surrender the momentum. Dube was dismissed by Ahmed Daniyal in the first ball of the final over, caught by Maaz Sadaqat at deep midwicket, but Varma continued the assault. He reached his half-century from 21 balls with a couple before hitting back-to-back sixes off Ahmed and finishing the innings with a single after Sufyan Moqim dropped a catch at short third. Ahmed finished with two wickets for 43 runs from three overs, while Arafat Minhas was Pakistan’s most economical bowler with two for 25. India had made a flying start after being sent in, reaching 28 without loss after two overs before Saim Ayub dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for 15 off nine balls. Abhishek Sharma, however, continued the assault and raced to 61 from 28 balls, striking three fours and seven sixes. He brought up his 50 from only 20 deliveries and appeared set to take the game away from Pakistan before Arafat ended his innings in the eighth over. Abhishek had been given several chances during his explosive stay. He survived a dropped chance off Arafat and another opportunity behind the stumps before being stumped for 61. Sanju Samson was then dismissed for two by Ahmed, leaving India 52 for two, but the scoring rate remained high. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan steadied the innings for a period, adding 35 for the fourth wicket, although neither could maintain the tempo established by Abhishek. Kishan made 20 off 18 balls before Arafat bowled him in the 14th over, with the ball gripping and turning sharply to strike the top of off stump. Iyer followed one over later for 21 off 24 balls, caught by Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan at extra cover off Abrar Ahmed. At 137 for five in the 15th over, India appeared to have lost some of their early momentum. Varma, who had been relatively restrained after coming in, then changed the complexion of the innings. He struck Arafat for consecutive sixes in the 18th over before Dube joined the assault. Dube hit three sixes in as many deliveries across the next two overs and Tilak followed with a sequence of boundaries against Saim. India scored 114 runs in the first 10 overs and finished with 97 in the second half, despite losing four wickets during that period. Pakistan’s bowling was undermined by 13 extras, including 11 wides, while dropped chances also allowed India’s innings to gather momentum. India’s total leaves Pakistan requiring 212 to claim the gold medal.

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