Innings Pakistan 337 for 9 (Usman 107, Qadir 80, Yousaf 63, Kavya 4-68, Venkata 3-40) vs India
Pakistan had blazed away early on, scoring 93 for 1 in the batting powerplay. India’s quicks went too full in their search for swing with the new ball, shared by Mohit Ulva and Kavya, and Usman and fellow opener Hayam Khan took full toll as they erred with their lengths.
Hayam (21) fell in the ninth over, to Kavya, skipping down the track to a wide delivery and sending an outside edge to the wicketkeeper. Kavya had anticipated his movement because till then, the Pakistan batters had used their feet quite effectively to throw India’s bowlers off their lengths. They continued doing so even after the powerplay, as Usman and Qadir shared a 135-run partnership off just 18.5 overs for the second wicket.
Qadir was the aggressor, even as Usman scored at just under a-run-a-ball at the other end. Qadir smashed eight sixes and three fours during his first fifty at this level. The highlight of his innings came early, in the ninth over itself, when he played a high-elbowed front-foot pull off Kavya. Thereafter, the two batters continued to be aggressive even against the spinners. In particular left-arm spinner Manal Chauhan, who went wicketless in his three-over spell for 40 runs.
Qadir finally fell in the 27th over, looking to continue his high-risk batting but holing out with a leading edge to the covers off Arjun Rajput.
Usman brought up his century in the company of his captain, and the two continued to rotate the strike in a more tepid 43-run stand in 9.3 overs. Usman fell in the 37th over, looking to up the ante, caught at mid-off off Kavya.
Venkata completed his three-for from one end, and Kavya his four-for from the other. The two deployed slower deliveries well as Pakistan could not generate enough pace off their bat-swing to find boundaries as easily as they did against the new ball. The pitch began gripping in the death overs, and with smart variations in pace by both bowlers, India had restricted Pakistan from 274 for 3 at the end of 40 overs, to 337 for 9.
