In a tense match during the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 held in Doha, India A suffered a significant batting collapse, ultimately getting bowled out for just 136 runs against their rivals, Pakistan A. Initially, the Indian side seemed to be in a strong position at 101/3, but it all went downhill from there as they lost the last seven wickets for a mere 35 runs. The collapse can be primarily attributed to the impressive bowling performance from Shahid Aziz, who took three wickets, contributing significantly to Pakistan's success.
The match began with Pakistan A winning the toss and opting to bowl first, a decision that would prove advantageous. Priyansh Arya, unfortunately, fell early on for 10 runs, and it looked like another promising innings might be in the works when Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Naman Dhir formed a solid partnership of 49 runs for the second wicket. Suryavanshi shone brightly with a score of 45 runs from 28 balls, but his wicket triggered the start of India’s downfall.
As the innings progressed, wickets fell at regular intervals, with Ramandeep Singh and Ashutosh Sharma also losing their wickets in quick succession. The pressure mounted on the batting order as Pakistan maintained tight bowling lines, effectively stifling runs and capitalizing on mistakes made by the Indian batsmen. The notable highlight of India's collapse was perhaps when Nehal Wadhera and Jitesh Sharma both succumbed for low scores, leaving the team significantly weakened.
The final overs saw India A struggling to find form, and ultimately, they were all out in just 19 overs, a stark contrast to their initial promising start. Pakistan A managed to efficiently use their bowling strategy, delivering a mix of slower balls and yorkers that frustrated the Indian batsmen.
This match, much like previous encounters, highlighted the fierce rivalry between India and Pakistan in the realm of cricket. Individual star performances from players like Suryavanshi, who has recently made headlines with his remarkable achievements, added some excitement; however, it was overshadowed by the collective failure of the batting lineup in critical moments of the match. Looking ahead, both teams will take lessons from this game as they continue to contend in this prestigious tournament.