New Delhi: Dominant show from Rasikh Salam and Abhishek Sharma cruised India A to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Group B match of the ACC Emerging Asia Cup on Monday at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.
The young Indian team has now won two games in a row to top the charts of Group B in the tournament. In the favourable batting conditions of Al Amerat, UAE opted to bat first, but couldn’t find an impactful start as they lost their half of the side in the powerplay overs.
Indian pacer Rasikh Salam ran through the UAE middle order after fellow speedsters Anshul Kamboj and Vaibhav Arora picked up a wicket each of the openers. The Kashmir-based player Rasikh accounted for the dismissals of Nilansh Keswani, Vishnu Sukumaran, and Syed Haider Shah in the sixth over itself.
A moderate partnership of 41 runs between half-centurion Rahul Chopra (50) and captain Basil Hameed (22) helped UAE to add some crucial runs before another collapse was ruffled. Ramndeep Singh added two wickets with part-timers Abhishek and Nehal Wadhera claiming one apiece as the UAE innings was bundled up for 107 in 16.5 overs.
Abhishek’s breezy fifty ease India’s chase
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma showed the glimpse of his IPL carnage against the feeble bowling attack of UAE. He smashed six fours and four sixes en-route to his 20-ball fifty. After Prabbhsimran Singh was removed in the first over by Omid Shafi Rahman, the southpaw wreaked havoc to lay the foudation for India in a low-scoring chase.
Skipper Tilak Varma was a mere spectator in his 73-run partnership with Abhishek, though the former played a couple of big hits in middle. Tilak and Abhishek were dismissed in a space of nine deliveries, but by then the task was almost done.
Youngster Ayush Badoni pummelled a four and a six off UAE pacer Muhammad Jawadullah’s bowling to take India past the finishing line in 10.5 overs.
