IND vs PAK 2022: 3 reasons why Pakistan lost their Asia Cup opener
The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2022 contest was an absolute thriller. While Hardik Pandya's measured and mature innings took his side home, Babar Azam's men were favorites even in the last over, only to have their hopes crushed after they looked to dominate India for the second time in two years.
The loss means Pakistan need to win their other game against Hong Kong. They will have a shot at meeting India again in the Super 4, provided they finish as one of the top two teams in Group A.
Perhaps the two arch-rivals could also have a chance of meeting in the final if they manage to finish the Super 4 round as the first and second teams, respectively.
While this is pretty much wishful thinking on the part of the fans, the Men in Green have some work to do if they are to look at getting some payback. On that talking point, we look at three areas where Pakistan lost the match to India.
#1 Pakistan's modest 147 was never really enough
While Pakistan's 147 could be called a tricky total, which, to their credit, they made a match off, they were always 15-20 runs short of what would have put the screws on India. The average score may have been 141, but for the caliber the side possessed, they would have been aiming for 160, which would have been a par total.
In the end, even if they did manage to get KL Rahul out first ball and keep Rohit Sharma quiet, all it took was a string of 30+ scores to help India get closer to the target. Coupled with a few loose deliveries to get them going, the unit eventually fell short of defending their target.
#2 Babar Azam was the difference
Statistically, Pakistan have won every time their skipper Babar Azam has fired. His penchant for playing long innings' and finding the fence regularly would have made all the difference.
However, he fell in the third over for 10 despite a confident start. Babar's dismissal was followed by an average middle order performance, leaving Mohammad Rizwan with too much to do. His sedate 42-ball 43 helped, but maybe two more 30+ scores would have changed the outcome of the clash.
#3 Fitness levels are a concern
Take nothing away from Naseem Shah, who bowled his heart out in his debut game. But with the balmy weather and a tough strip to bat on, fitness played a crucial role, which Pakistan may want to pay more attention to.
With Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Shah cramping, it was tough for the team to bring in their A-game in the high-octane clash. This compared to India, who finished off their 20 overs without so much as catching their hamstrings, speaks volumes about how fitness plays a key role in crunch matches.