February 23rd 2025.
In the highly anticipated Champions Trophy match in Dubai on Sunday, the Indian bowlers showed exceptional accuracy, but Pakistan was able to put up a competitive total of 241 thanks to Saud Shakeel's impressive fifty and Khushdil Shah's quick cameo.
Shakeel was in top form, forming a solid partnership of 104 runs with captain Mohammad Rizwan for the third wicket. However, Pakistan struggled to break free from the Indian bowlers' tight grip after choosing to bat first.
As expected, the pitch slowed down as the match progressed, making it difficult for the batsmen to score runs. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep led the way with his precise bowling, causing trouble for the Pakistani batsmen.
During a period in the Pakistani innings, both Rizwan and Shakeel were unable to find the boundary for 55 consecutive deliveries. This cautious approach was partly due to the early dismissals of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq.
Azam showed his class with some trademark cover drives, but his eagerness to play attacking shots ultimately led to his downfall. On the other hand, Imam's unnecessary attempt to take a single resulted in his run out by Axar Patel at mid-on.
At 47 for two, Pakistan had a tough task ahead of them in a high-pressure match. However, Rizwan and Shakeel played composed innings to bring some stability to their team's total.
There were also some concerns for India as veteran pacer Mohammed Shami and captain Rohit Sharma had to leave the field due to injuries. Shami had a shin injury, while Rohit seemed to be struggling with the heat.
Thankfully, both of them returned to the field and continued to play, easing the worries of their team. Meanwhile, Rizwan and Shakeel took Pakistan to a promising score of 151 for two in the 34th over, creating a strong foundation for a total close to 300.
But Rizwan's ambitious attempt to attack Axar resulted in him losing his wicket, and from there, Pakistan's batting performance declined. Shakeel, who had been playing confidently, fell victim to the same shot, skying the ball to Axar in the deep.
As India tightened their grip on the match, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah also fell prey to Kuldeep's clever bowling. However, Shah's late flurry of big shots, including the first six of Pakistan's innings, helped his team reach a respectable total in challenging batting conditions.
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