Real Reasons behind India’s Loss to Pakistan in the Asia Cup

Real Reasons how India lost to Pakistan in Asia Cup 2014Pakistan 249 for 9 (Hafeez 75, Shehzad 42, Afridi 34*, Ashwin 3-44) beat India 245 for 8 (Rayudu 58, Rohit 56, Jadeja 52*, Ajmal 3-40) by one wicket

Afridi slammed 2 sixes of the last over to get Pakistan a memorable one wicket victory in a crunch game against arch rivals India at Mirpur of the Asia Cup 2014

Here is a quick post match analysis which points out some real reasons how Team India lost this must win game against Pakistan:

The real reasons behind India’s loss to Pakistan in the AC.

  • Slow batting in the middle overs by Dinesh Karthik – DK throughout his innings was sketchy and was unable to accelerate the run rate causing the net run rate to fall and Pakistan spinners getting control – END Result India fell a good 15-20 runs short of the actual score, A score above 260 was always going to be challenging on this turning track
  • Missed Stumping by Dinesh Karthik off Ashwin, DK again the culprit for the 2nd time as he failed to stump Sohaib Maqsood of a simple chance and Maqsood was easily atleast 2 feet outside the crease. A wicket at this stage could had turned the game a lot in India’s favour as:Chasing 246, Pakistan were 168 for 4 in the 38th over. The partnership between Maqsood and Mohammad Hafeez had just gone past 50. They added another 32 and took Pakistan to 200 before Ashwin dismissed Hafeez. Pakistan won by one wicket, in the last over, and it took two sixes in two balls from Shahid Afridi to get them home.In India’s previous match, Karthik had missed a stumping when Kumar Sangakkara was on 30. He went on to make 103 and win the match for Sri Lanka. It was one of a series of errors the fielders made, and Virat Kohli, India’s captain, spoke after the game of the need to play smarter cricket.
  • No Sixth Bowler/Part time bowler – Unlike Pakistan who have always utilized Hafeez’s off spin and even open their bowling with him shows a great deal of depth in their bowling line-up as Hafeez gives able support to their front line spin attack of Ajmal & Afridi. India in this count lacked a decent part time spinner in yesterday’s game. Surprisingly Kohli didn’t turn the ball to Rohit Sharma especially since the pitch was turning & he had bowled a decent spell of off spin bowling to keep Sri Lanka and Sangakkara in check in the previous match.
  • No death-over bowling specialist – Pakistan had lost two wickets in the space of three runs to crash to 203 for 6 from 200 for 4 by the end of 45th over, but Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar failed to capitalise on that and went for 13 runs each in the 46th and 47th over respectively – thus once again highlighting the lack of a death-over specialist in the Indian ranks.But India managed to again wrest control in the final over when Ashwin bowled Saeed Ajmal off the first ball with Pakistan needing 10 to win. But the offie couldn’t clean up last man Junaid Khan who found the single Pakistan needed to bring Afridi back on strike. The big-hitter then smashed two consecutive sixes to settle the game in Pakistan’s favour.
  • Lack of an opening partnership – India’s opening partnerships so far in the Asia Cup read 50 (vs Bangladesh), 33 (vs Sri Lanka) and 18 (vs Pakistan), which has exposed a young Indian batting line-up heavily dependent on Virat Kohli at the top and missing Dhoni down the order.Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have had one decent innings each in Bangladesh, but not yet in the Asia Cup have both come up with the goods in the same match. Dhawan hit 94 against Sri Lanka while Rohit played a knock of 56 against Bangladesh, but what India keep missing is those big stands the pair consistently provided in 2013 and were the cornerstones of India’s Champions Trophy success in England.

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