NEW DELHI: India’s young openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill stole the spotlight on Sunday night, guiding their team to a commanding six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super 4 clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The duo not only powered India’s chase but also earned glowing praise from former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik, who lauded their temperament and skill under pressure.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Chasing 172, Abhishek smashed a blistering 74 off just 39 balls, laced with six boundaries and five sixes, while Gill contributed a fluent 47 off 28. Together, they added 105 runs inside nine overs, completely dismantling Pakistan’s pace attack led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. India eventually reached the target in 18.5 overs, registering their second win over Pakistan in eight days.
For Misbah-ul-Haq, Abhishek’s fearlessness stood out the most. “The skill level is exceptional, and the temperament is impressive. Playing against Pakistan for the first time, there’s no pressure; he comes in as if he’s batting in the nets. When the ball lands in his zone, he effortlessly hits it out,” Misbah said on Tapmad’s post-match show. “He puts the main bowlers under pressure right from the start, and after that, the team can’t recover.”
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Shoaib Malik was equally effusive in his assessment of both openers. “I thought Shubman Gill would remain not out… everything about him is high quality. He doesn’t just play on one side; he knows how to play all around the field. As soon as the conditions changed after six overs, he started rotating the strike,” Malik noted.The former all-rounder also underlined how both Abhishek and Gill have the versatility to adapt beyond the powerplay. “Your top three batters shouldn’t only know one way to play the game. They can rotate the strike, hit fours by finding gaps, and hit sixes when the ball is right. They have clarity, and when there’s such clarity, you can play innings like this,” Malik added.The admiration from Pakistan’s cricketing greats highlighted the growing reputation of India’s next-gen batting stars, whose fearless approach once again proved too much for their arch-rivals.
