India A triumphed over Pakistan Shaheens by a narrow margin of seven runs during the fourth match of the ACC Men's Emerging Asia Cup on Saturday in Al Amarat, Oman.
According to details, batting first, India A posted a total of 183 runs, with notable contributions from captain Tilak Varma, who scored 44 off 35 balls, and Abhishek Sharma, who hit 35 off 22 balls. Prabhsimran Singh also made a quick 36 off 19 balls.
The Indian innings witnessed a solid start, but Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Sufiyan Muqeem, who took two wickets, and Arafat Minhas, who claimed one, restricted India A effectively.
In response, the Shaheens began their chase confidently but struggled as wickets fell at crucial moments. Captain Mohammad Haris could only manage six runs before departing, leaving the onus on Yasir Khan, who scored 33 runs. Arafat Minhas was the standout performer for Pakistan, scoring 41 runs off 29 balls before being dismissed just shy of a half-century. Despite reaching 176 runs, Pakistan fell short as India’s bowlers held their nerve, with Anshul Kamboj taking three wickets and Rasikh Salam and Nishant Sindhu each grabbing two.
The match concluded with Abbas Afridi and Zaman Khan at the crease, unable to cross the finish line. India A’s victory was a testament to their resilience in a match filled with momentum shifts and nail-biting moments.