India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2022: Men in Blue’s undisciplined bowling raise multiple questions for team management

Pakistan required 26 runs from 12 deliveries to beat India on Sunday. India had one over spared of each of their fast bowlers — experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and the raw Arshdeep Singh. Bhuvi was the obvious choice for the 19th over, having done the job repeatedly if we roll the time back.

Alas! He starts the over with a wide. After two legal deliveries, he bowls another wide. In between the two wides, Asif Ali – whom Arshdeep dropped in the previous over – had smashed a slower ball over long-on for a six. Bhuvi’s first three balls had gifted 10 runs. But, as always, Indian fans had hope.

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Khushdil Shah had now acquired the strike. He disposes of a short ball to the square leg boundary. The match was swinging in Pakistan’s favour now, more than ever. The last ball of the over was slapped in the extra cover region, for another boundary, bisecting the two fielders in deep. The 19th over conceded 19 runs. Impeccable Bhuvi was expensive. Bhuvi, after raising all the hopes, giving just four runs in the 16th over, for once, proved to be hopeless.

Seven runs of the final over seemed like a walk in the park. Arshdeep – considered a death specialist – at times – is compared with Jasprit Bumrah. But he is no Bumrah. Indian fans, though, still had hope. And though Arshdeep couldn’t defend the seven runs, was not hopeless. He yorked Ali and caught him LBW in what was a plumb decision before they could hit the winning runs. He took it down to the fifth ball. But Pakistan ensured to not lose again to their arch-rivals.

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