IND vs PAK 2022: "India missed a very big trick" - Aakash Chopra on Men in Blue's bowling in Asia Cup Super 4 clash against Pakistan
Aakash Chopra feels India missed a huge trick by not bowling enough bouncers in their Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 clash against Pakistan.
The Men in Blue set a challenging 182-run target for Babar Azam and Co. after being asked to bat first in Dubai on Sunday, September 4. However, their bowlers could not defend the score as Pakistan won the match by five wickets with one delivery to spare.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that a slightly below-strength Indian bowling attack committed a mistake on the placid surface in Dubai. He said:
"You had come to know that the pitch was extremely flat and India had only five bowlers. You played Deepak Hooda but how much bowling will you give him, that was always a question. In my opinion, India missed a very big trick."
The former India batter explained:
"They didn't bowl the bouncers at all in this match. They bowled 12-14 bouncers in the last match, where they got 5-6 wickets. In this match, we didn't even bowl six bouncers in all. I agree the pitch was flat but try at least."
The Indian pacers dismissed the first five batters in the Group A game against Pakistan through short deliveries. Hardik Pandya was the only Indian bowler to try bouncers in Sunday's game but was taken to the cleaners, conceding 44 runs in the four overs he bowled.
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"Ravi Bishnoi bowled a very difficult over" - Aakash Chopra
Chopra praised Ravi Bishnoi for bowling an excellent over in the powerplay. He elaborated:
"Rizwan batted well at the start. Babar was also batting well till Ravi Bishnoi came and handed him his third consecutive low score in the Asia Cup. Ravi Bishnoi bowled a very difficult over. He bowled just one over in the powerplay but did extremely well in that and picked up a wicket. Fakhar Zaman fell into Yuzi Chahal's web."
Chopra criticized the fans who trolled Arshdeep Singh for dropping Asif Ali's catch off Bishnoi's bowling. The renowned commentator observed:
"When Nawaz and Rizwan got out, it seemed the match will become interesting again. Three overs were left, out of which Bishnoi was bowling one over. There was a catch that Arshdeep dropped. I saw later that people are trolling Arsh, no one drops a catch purposely, the kid will be more hurt than all of us."
Chopra concluded by highlighting that seven runs off the final over were never going to be saved despite Arshdeep's best efforts, with his difficulties compounded by the slow overrate penalty. He stated:
"After that, Bhuvi's over was very expensive. So no runs were left for the last over. An extra fielder was in the circle in the last over, so we are not learning from our mistakes. Arshdeep dismissed Asif also but seven runs with five players in the circle, they couldn't have been saved."
Arshdeep Singh should be super proud of the bowling efforts, after that drop, anyone could have easily given but he dragged the game in the final over.
Bhuvneshwar conceded 19 runs in the penultimate over when 26 were required off the final two overs. Arshdeep dismissed Asif on the fourth delivery of the last over but Iftikhar Ahmed hit the winning runs off the penultimate ball.