India vs Pakistan, 5th Match, Group A - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Asia Cup 2018 Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Date & Time: Sep 19, 03:30 PM LOCAL

Are you ready? © AFP

It couldn't have been more perfect for India after all the time they were kept on the field last evening by a very spirited Hong Kong unit. But they returned and with aplomb today, against their arch rivals. They made the right moves by bringing in Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah and that made a difference rightaway as Pakistan were kept to just 25 for 2 in the first ten overs. Things changed briefly through an 82-run partnership between Malik and Azam but once they were separated, there was little that Pakistan had left in them.

India's openers blew away all the talk about facing left-arm fast bowling and after an 86-run opening stand, there was no room for a fightback from Pakistan. Rayudu and Karthik then saw the team through.

There is at least one more Indo-Pak battle in this tournament, and one hopes that that isn't a lopsided affair. There's more cricket coming your way tomorrow, see you then. Goodnight!

India win by eight wickets with 126 balls to spare

Rayudu and Karthik have already added 56 runs for the third wicket. India's batting couldn't have been more clinical tonight. Only one run away now...

Biggest wins for India vs Pakistan (balls left):

105 Multan, 2006 (Target: 162)

92 Toronto, 1997 (Target: 117)

53 Dhaka, 1998 (Target: 213)

Pakistan going through the motions right now as Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu try and make the most of their matchtime out there in the middle.

Dhawan would be gutted

There was a fifty for the taking but he cuts a wide ball to point, where Babar Azam manages to hold onto a high catch. That somehow stayed in, and that's enough to send the southpaw back. Out for 46 but not before putting India on the brink of a comprehensive win.

Another injury today. Shadab is now going off the field, he's feeling for his lower back, but thankfully he's on his own to the dressing room. Perhaps, he doesn't want to aggravate it.

Shadab picks him first ball

Gutsy from Shadab to bowl the wrong 'un first up. Rohit doesn't pick it as the ball goes through his defenses to break the leg stump. India one down but far from being down in this game.

And fifty for Rohit Sharma

This is Rohit's fastest ODI fifty, his previous best was off 42 balls, that he had done twice. What batting this from the India skipper. VVS Laxman on commentary sums up the pull shot so well, "That's not the right technique for the pull shot, only the genius of Rohit Sharma makes it possible." Pulled off the frontfoot for a six before lifting it over mid off for a four to bring up his fifty.

Dhawan gets a move on too

A cut and then a pick-up shot off the pads for fours off Faheem Ashraf. In between, he didn't quite get hold of a short ball from Hasan Ali but still managed to clear the man at deep square leg comfortably. Both the openers are well set now...

Do you think Rohit should worry about this stat anymore?

Indian batsman dismissed most often vs left-arm pacers (since April 2015)

9 Rohit Sharma
6 Shikhar Dhawan
5 MS Dhoni
3 V Kohli/ A Rahane/ S Raina/ R Jadeja/ A Patel

Undoubtedly...

WithExpress @IExpressSports

game between is a sellout. The reality seems to be different, unless of course the locals are waiting for the sun to set

1 0

Pakistan are unchanged.

Toss time, folks

Sarfraz Ahmed has won the toss and opted to bat first

More from Prakash...

"Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah are bowling currently. I'm on the look out for Khaleel and Hardik Pandya, but can't spot either. Might be harsh on Khaleel if he's benched, but both Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan explicitly mentioned after last night's game that a few players were rested because of the two games in two days schedule.

"Sure. Amir's currently bowling on the Pakistan side of things. There's been speculation that he might get a rest. Sarfraz put out an elaborate defence of his strike bowler (that's what he called Amir) in the press conference a couple of days ago about the pacer's recent form."

Ground Zero Report

"Hello from Dubai on a day when weather doesn't matter! [It's 40 degrees, fyi]," pings Prakash. "The anticipation for this game can be summed up by the fact that bus shuttle for the media contingent began nearly five hours ago at 11 am local time! In the last hour, hour and a half, the stands have started to fill up slowly. And so far, I see Indian fans in majority. The Pakistan players are out, stretching and doing some football drills."

BTW, on the side, Dinesh Karthik is taking some catches with the 'keeping gloves on! And Prakash pings, MS Dhoni is bowling leg spin. What's this all about?

*****

Alright, still some time away from the toss but the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is already packed to the limits. Time for some appetiser as we build up to the game. Our man at the ground, Prakash Govindasreenivasan, touched upon the game in his preview, in as beautiful a manner one can.

Can the cricketing rarity that is an India-Pakistan ODI be inconsequential? Only technically, yes.

Also, also... how hard did Sarfraz Ahmed try to downplay the intensity of this game? Or did he not? The Pakistan speaker spoke of junoon. Prakash, once again, didn't fail to capture the mood.

Trip of nostalgia into childhood

How does it feel to be back in the UAE for an Indo-Pak clash, even though it is not Sharjah. How wonderful were those days of the Sahara Cup in Toronto, Canada. Asia Cup 2018, through its strangely jampacked schedule, has all in its making the chance to offer not one, not two but as many as three India-Pakistan matches. So, if you are one of those, like me, who relishes these contests and likes his own trip of nostalgia back into childhood, this Live Blog is your teleporting machine, your tool to follow today's drama, and everything else.

"It's just another game of cricket..." How often have you heard that or even said that? Is it a humbug?

It feels like ages ago when streets would go empty, snacks would be stocked up, friends and family would throng to the living rooms to watch India and Pakistan lock horns on the cricket field. While the frequency has gone down drastically with India and Pakistan only meeting at multi-team events since 2012, the fervour has eased out as well. And since it is a cricketing rarity now, even the roster-makers have not let go of milking this opportunity to the fullest. Remember the ICC World Cup 2015 - India and Pakistan played their first game, against each other, on the second day of the tournament, more importantly, on a Sunday. More recently the Champions Trophy 2017 in England kickstarted with the neighbours taking on each other, only to meet later in the final again.

Mauka, mauka... mauka, mauka... mauka, mauka...

Well, it is indeed a mauka [opportunity] for all the cricket fans around the globe as the arch-rivals India and Pakistan take the cricket field for the first time since the Champions Trophy in June last year. Remember, the official broadcaster's extremely popular ad campaign, 'Mauka, mauka' and how it had taken the world by storm with the Indian fan having a loud laugh at Pakistan's inability to beat their arch rivals in one ICC event after the other. But a little into that Sunday evening, the Sarfraz Ahmed-led team had successfully overthrown the campaign to win the silverware.