5 Reasons why India defeated Pakistan
The highly anticipated clash between arch rivals India and Pakistan has finally concluded and it is the Men in Blue who have outclassed their opponents clinically by 8 wickets with 21 overs to spare.
Taking field within 24 hours of surviving a horrifying scare against minnows Hong Kong, the Indians produced a spirited performance, boosted by the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya into the squad. Although Pandya was forced to leave the ground on account of a back injury, Bumrah and company bowled Pakistan out of the game with their disciplined efforts.
Pakistan entered as heavy favourites in this crucial Group A encounter, with most of the odds in their favour. Pakistan's battery of left arm seamers along with Hasan Ali promised a great threat to the unsettled Indian middle order in the absence of talisman Virat Kohli. Dubai has been the home ground for Pakistan for quite some time now and they were supposed to exploit the conditions to the fullest. The team also came fresh into the match while Team India took field within a day after prevailing over Hong Kong, with several areas of concern. The last time these teams met was in the 2017 Champions Trophy Final, where it was the Pakistani team that emerged victorious by 180 runs, clinching the title.
However, on the given day, it was the India that defied all odds to produce a dominant performance over their arch-rivals in all the departments, playing a superior brand of cricket.
We look at the 5 reasons due to which India outclassed their opponents.