Pakistan Shaheens delivered a breathtaking performance in the final of the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, thrashing India A by a massive 128-run margin at the R Premadasa Stadium. The scintillating century by Tayyab Tahir played a pivotal role in Shaheens’ comprehensive victory, leading them to their second successive ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup title.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Shaheens’ openers provided a solid foundation, notching up a commanding 121-run partnership. Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan played aggressive innings of 59 and 65 runs, respectively. After the departure of the opening duo, Shaheens faced a moment of concern as they lost three wickets in quick succession. However, Tayyab Tahir came to the rescue with a remarkable performance.
Tayyab’s brilliant century, his fourth in List A cricket, came off just 66 balls and included 12 boundaries and four towering sixes. His scintillating knock, combined with a valuable 126-run partnership with Mubasir Khan (35), steered Shaheens to a mammoth total of 352/8 in their 50 overs. The contributions from Mehran Mumtaz (13) and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (17 not out) in the later stages bolstered the total.
In response, India A got off to a decent start, with their openers forming a 64-run partnership for the first wicket. However, once the opening stand was broken, the Indian team struggled to keep up with the required run rate. They were eventually bowled out for 224 in 40 overs. Abhishek Sharma top-scored with a quickfire 61 off 51 balls.
Sufiyan Muqeem’s outstanding bowling performance of 3/66, along with crucial contributions from Arshad Iqbal, Mehran Mumtaz, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr, ensured India A’s defeat.
Tayyab Tahir’s spectacular century earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match award, cementing his place as the standout performer in the final.
With this resounding victory, Pakistan Shaheens continued their dominance in the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, defending their title successfully after their triumph against Bangladesh in the 2019 edition final.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan Shaheens: 352/8 in 50 overs (Tayyab Tahir 108, Sahibzada Farhan 65, Saim Ayub 59, Mubasir Khan 35, Omair Bin Yousuf 35; Riyan Parag 2-24, Rajvardhan Hangargekar 2-48)
India A: 224 all out in 40 overs (Abishek Sharma 61, Yash Dhull 39; Sufiyan Muqeem 3-66, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 2-26, Mehran Mumtaz 2-30, Arshad Iqbal 2-34)
Result: Pakistan Shaheens won by 128 runs
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