Pakistan beats India to lift Emerging Asia Cup trophy

Pakistan A outclassed India A by 128 runs in the final of the Emerging Asia Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

 Tayyab Tahir’s scintillating 71-ball 108 and Sahibzada Farhan’s clinical 62-ball 65 led the Pakistan Shaheens to outplay their arch-rival as chasing a target of 353 runs, India A were dismissed for 224 runs in 40 overs.

 Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem caused all kinds of troubles for the Indians by taking three important wickets including opener Abhishek Sharma, who scored 61, captain Yash Dull, who was set at 39 off 41, and Harshit Rana, 13, while conceding 66 runs in 10 overs.

Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Wasim, and Arshad Iqbal claimed two wickets each.

For India A, opener Abhishek Sharma was the top run-scorer with 61 runs in 51 balls.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, the Shaheens openers treated the India A’s bowlers with utter contempt and posted a mammoth 352-8 against the arch-rivals.

Saim Ayub (59 off 51) and Sahibzada Farhan (65 off 62) provided their team with a brilliant platform. Saim and Farhan formed a brilliant partnership, scoring 121 off just 104 balls before Saim Ayub was undone by Manav Suthar.

But the Shaheens ensured to avert the pressure by building important partnerships.

Tayyab Tahir played a crucial role to power his team to a challenging total against India A. Tahir clobbered 12 boundaries and four towering sixes.

Omair Yousuf (35 off 35) and Mubasir Khan (35 off 47) also made significant contributions to their team, scoring 35 each.

Mohammad Wasim made a solid contribution, scoring an unconquered 10-ball 17 with one four and a sixer. Sufiyan Muqeem also remained unbeaten on 8-ball 4.

Qasim Akram was flummoxed by Riyan Parag on 0 (1). Mohammad Haris was trapped by Nishant Sindhu on 2 (6).

Mehran Mumtaz smashed two boundaries before he was undone by Harshit Rana on 10-ball 13.

Riyan Parag (2-24) and Rajvardhan Hangargekar (2-48) bagged two wickets apiece.

Harshit Rana (1-51), Manav Suthar (1-68), and Nishant Sindhu (1-48) took a scalp each.

Abhishek Sharma (0-54) and Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (0-56) remained wicketless.

Pakistan A had set India A target of 353 runs on a good batting surface.