India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 Highlights: PAK beat IND by 5 wickets in thriller for the ages

Virat Kohli has come out in the post-match press conference and we will surely have a number of stories on whatever he is going to say on this website. Stay tuned for those but this is all from us here on this blog. We thought the last one was a great match, this one turned out to be even better. Wonder how it is going to be if these two teams meet again in the final. Food for thought! Goodbye!

"For a left arm spinner, it's important to stick to the basic line and length. If one or two balls turn, that puts doubt into the batters' minds. After that, I try and stick to line and length. We needed 10 runs per over when I walked in to bat so I knew I had to attack every chance I got. My mind was clear that I'd hit out at every ball in my zone. I didn't try and overplay, which you sometimes can when you're under pressure."

“Rizwan and Nawaz partnership was the turning point. I had a hunch Nawaz would be key against legspinners”

“I just try to keep it simple, ups and downs always happens. Credit for this win completely goes to my team,” he starts off. 

The form is brilliant (talking about Kohli). Needed someone to bat long when the others were getting out. He batted with that tempo as well. Virat getting that score was crucial from the team's point of view. Wickets of Hardik and Rishabh was not needed at that time. But we want to play with an open mindset. While taking that approach you'll not always have success.

"It's a high pressure game and you have to be at it every time. A game like that can take a lot out of you, but we were quite calm at the backend, even in the middle when Rizwan and Nawaz had a partnership going. But it went too long and they batted brilliantly.

"Games like this can bring the best out of players. There will be times when they will be challenged and things might not go their way. There's potential in the players and they've done it in the past. There's class in the opposition team as well."

Sanjay Manjrekar has the mic in his hands and he reads out the sponsors and the dignitaries before calling on Rohit Sharma. 

He has been Pakistan's highest scorer in six of their last seven innings. He was injured today and he was in significant pain in punishing conditions in Dubai.If Babar doesn't get you, Rizwan will. 

“The whole world is watching this match. This game is as valuable as a final. Every player will try to go give his 100%. The plan, as always, was to score against the new ball with one of us (himself and Babar Azam) batting long. I tried to stay till the end. We know our strengths, we have depth in our batting, we have power-hitters who are capable of hitting around 45 runs off the last four overs. So we didn't panic."

The thriller ends in Pakistan's favour. Arshdeep misses his yorker, Iftikhar Ahmed hits it down the ground and the two batters run for their lives. They make it to the crease as Arshdeep knocks off the bails at the non-striker's end in frustration, sparking wild celebrations in the Pakistan dressing room and in the stands. What an extraordinary run chase this was. We had mentioned around the 12th over mark that getting back in this game would take an extraordinary effort from the Pakistanis. They have only done that and more. Mohammad Rizwan the protagonist of the chase, Mohammad Nawaz was the side kick and Asif Ali played an all-important cameo. Pakistan have won this game with just one ball to spare. 

Asif Ali falls to Arshdeep Singh! Some level of redemption for the young pacer, this match is not for the faint of heart. Pakistan need two to win off two balls. Arshdeep had managed to get a dot ball after that previous boundary. Sensational stuff!

Pakistan need two to win off four. Picked up the attempted yorker that becomes a low full toss over the bowler's head to the boundary. Rizwan jumping up and down in the balcony. What a chase this is!

Pakistan need just 7 to win in the last over. Arshdeep Singh bowling it. Chance for him to redeem himself and much more if he defends this with one of the two batters in the middle there being one of the best finishers in the world. India have an extra fielder in the circle because of the over rate as well. Pakistan are firm favourites. 

It is that stage of the game where the equation can shift wildly from one way to another in just two deliveries. Khushdil pulls a short one from Bhuvi and Pakistan now need just 12 off 8! Pakistan's game to lose. 

Oh a shot to remember. He just picks Bhuvneshwar up back over his head and into the stands behind the bowler. Pakistan need 18 to win in 10 balls!

That is extraordinary. Rohit Sharma gives Arshdeep an earful after that. Asif Ali goes for a slog sweep, ends up getting a top edge and it nicely floats to Arshdeep at short third. An easy catch, and Arshdeep seemed to take it as that, and he ended up dropping it and looking quite silly. He throws the ball back, has a slight smile on his face, which makes Wasim Akram say he shouldn't have that on him either. 

Right then, we have another India-Pakistan thriller in our hands. For 15 years there were one-sided matches between these two sides and now we have got too nail-biters back to back. Ravi Bishnoi comes in to bowl the 18th. Pakistan need 34 to win from 18, they have the dangerous Asif Ali at the non-striker's end and Khushdil Shah is on strike. 

Well, well, well, Hardik Pandya was luckless just a few minutes ago and he has now got the big wicket of Mohammad Rizwan, has the game completely turned in India's favour now? Slow one from Pandya, Rizwan can't get the distance despite getting off the middle of the bat. He holes out at long-on and a brilliant innings comes to an end. 

Rizwan c Yadav b Pandya 71 (51), Pakistan 147/4, need 35 to win in 19 balls

Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivers and Mohammad Nawaz goes after smashing 42 in 20 balls. Partnership between him and Rizwan ends at 73 off just 41 balls. Sort of a length, Nawaz looks to go down the ground. The ball was in the air for a while and Hooda does well to keep his eyes in it all the way. 

Nawaz c Hooda b Kumar 42 (20), Pakistan 136/3 in 15.3 overs 

Partnership of 72 off 38 balls between Rizwan and Nawaz. Nawaz is on 42 off just 18 and Rizwan has made 60 in 44. India firmly on the backfoot now and desperately need a wicket here. 

Length delivery outside off, lots and lots of room for Rizwan to rock back and cut it through backward point. What a fight back this has been from these two. 

Tossed up delivery down the leg side now, Nawaz sweeps it to the fine leg boundary. Make that 55 need to win off 34 now, that gap is closing quite quickly now.  

Chahal tosses it up, Nawaz picks it up and goes over the deep backward square leg. Pakistan need 59 to win off 35 now. 

Short from Pandya, Nawaz goes for a pull but only gets a top edge. Lucky for him that it flies over the keeper for a four right behind him. All going Pakistan's way at the moment and Rohit has a lot to think about now. 

Pandya goes full outside off, Nawaz hits over cover for four. He is on 28 off 12 balls and these two are dragging Pakistan back into this match.