Pakistan pacers make history in Asia Cup by bagging all ten India wickets

History was made at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka on Saturday when Pakistan’s pace trio accounted for all ten Indian wickets to fall as they dismissed their arch rival for 266 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

It was the first time that all ten wickets in an innings fell to fast bowlers, with Shaheen Shah Afridi being the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with four for 35.

Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf bagged three wickets apiece.

Earlier, Ishan Kishan's unbridled 82 and Hardik Pandya's blinding batting display at Pallekele helped India recover from 66 for four to post a total that will give their bowlers something to aim at.

Kishan and Pandya's stand of 138 off 140 balls laid the foundation for India's total of 266. Pakistan's pacer attack was too good for the Indian batter as they bundled out Men in Blue for 266 in 48.5 overs.

For Pakistan, Afridi was the wrecker-in-chief as he dismantled India's top order and took the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.

With Rohit Sharma choosing to bat first, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam gave the new ball to Shaheen Shah Afridi and the pacer almost immediately pulled what could have been the big breakthrough for them, however, India captain Rohit Sharma was lucky as the square leg fielder dropped the catch. The ball ran away for a four on the second delivery of the game.

Play was interrupted due to rain with India 15-0 after 4.2 overs. Rohit was decisive in his approach and made the Pakistan bowlers toil hard making merry of the excellent batting conditions on offer. On the other end, Shubman Gill took his time to settle on the pitch.

After a brief halt of half an hour due to rain, the play was resumed. India dealt with a major blow as Afridi came up with an in-swinging ripper delivery that was able to pierce through Rohit's defence.

Rohit's wicket invited Virat Kohli to the crease and the star batter announced himself with a classic cover drive.

Indian top-order had no answer to an impressive Afridi attack as Pakistan's star pacer cut short Kohli's stay at the crease. Kohli played the ball over his stumps on the good length ball from Afridi.

The ball then struck the back pad of Kohli and changed the direction to fall on the stumps, leaving India under tremendous pressure. Afridi’s lethal in-swingers sent packing Rohit and Kohli to the pavilion. The early blows saw India reeling at 30-2 after 7 overs.

The right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer then came out to bat. The right-handed Iyer and southpaw Gill kept the scoreboard ticking for India thereafter, even as the scoring rate dipped.

Iyer slammed Haris Rauf for two boundaries as he perfectly picked the gap between mid-on and mid-wicket fielders to get fours.

A miscue from Iyer launched the ball high in the air which landed straight into the hands of Fakhar Zaman, who took a sharp catch at mid-wicket off Haris Rauf's short ball.

Rain again interrupted the play as India were at 51/3 after 11.2 overs. After a rain halt, Kishan resumed India's innings with a six off Rauf's delivery.

Struggling Shubman Gill, who is yearning hard to find his form failed once again to deliver with his bat in unfamiliar conditions. The 15th over ensured Gill's struggle with the bat continued.

Rauf got better of Gill with a fuller-than-good length delivery. A groan from Gill and a loud roar from Rauf narrated the entire story of the over.

The right-handed batter Hardik Pandya then came out to bat and the latter announced his arrival with a four as he went forward and opened his bat face to guide it to the third man.

With four wickets down, Kishan did not shy away from playing attacking shots. Kishan and Pandya drove India's innings from that point and took their team's total beyond the 100-run mark in under 20 overs. After 20 overs of the play, India's score read 102/4.