Abhishek Sharma turns the heat on Pakistan, gives befitting reply to Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf's abuses

TimesofIndia.com in DUBAI: "The best mirror is an old friend,” is a classical line by famous English poet George Herbert.Those lines seemed to have been written for Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma when the duo were batting together against Pakistan in their Super 4s clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

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Gill and Abhishek were matching each other shot-for-shot and put on 105-runs for the opening wicket.On the eve of yet another highly-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash, only three Indian cricketers turned up for the optional practice session. Shubman Gill and Abhishek were two of them.Gill was struggling for runs, and it was Abhishek who lent him the comforting arm. He bowled in tandem with the net bowlers for an hour to Shubman. He challenged him to play sweep shots, teased his inability to hit the reverse sweep, and requested Varun Chakravarthy to trouble Gill with his variations.A day later, the duo, who have batted together since their U-12 days in Punjab, were at their destructive best.Fire, fury, and fireworksChasing a stiff target of 172, India’s chase got off to a fiery start as Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill smashed a 100-run stand in just 8.4 overs. If Abhishek was at his destructive best, it was Gill who showed why he is such a delight to the eyes.In an expected high-voltage clash, which became even more dramatic due to the events of the past weeks, the Pakistani seamers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf started to abuse them in Punjabi. Shaheen had a go at Abhishek after being smacked for a six off the first ball.

Shaheen then hurled a few abuses at Shubman, who looked at Shaheen and pointed with his hand where the ball went. There was a shade of Aamer Sohail vs Venky Prasad from 1996 to it. Haris Rauf hurled abuses at Abhishek, who hammered him for two boundaries, and the umpires had to intervene to separate Rauf and Abhishek.Abhishek set the tone by pulling Shaheen Afridi for a six off the very first over, while Gill, who had worked tirelessly in the nets on the eve of the match, struck boundaries with authority off Saim Ayub's off-spin.

Their aggression only grew, with Abhishek dispatching Abrar Ahmed for towering sixes and Gill unfurling a reverse sweep — a stroke his partner had teased him about less than 24 hours ago.

Abhishek raced to a 25-ball fifty, surviving two dropped chances along the way, while Gill kept the tempo high with crisp drives and sweeps. The partnership was finally broken at 105 when Gill, after battling cramps, was bowled by Faheem Ashraf for a brisk 47 off 28.India’s openers had set the chase alight with their fearless strokeplay and fiery exchanges, leaving Pakistan searching for answers. Abhishek departed for a sizzling 39-ball 74.India did lose quick wickets - Gill and then Suryakumar Yadav in the space of four balls - but it was too late for Pakistan. India chased down the total in 18.5 overs with six wickets in hand.Pakistan cash in on India’s sloppy fieldingIndia’s fielding woes came to the fore as they spilled five chances, allowing Pakistan to post a competitive 171/5.Sahibzada Farhan, the biggest beneficiary, rode his luck to a breezy half-century after being dropped twice by Abhishek Sharma.Abhishek first misjudged a regulation chance at third man when Farhan was on zero. The opener made India pay with crisp strokeplay, taking on Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and carting Varun Chakravarthy for back-to-back fours. He even finished the powerplay with two more boundaries off Bumrah as Pakistan raced to 55/1 after six overs.

Farhan’s second life came in Varun’s over when Abhishek, stationed at long-on, covered ground to his right and leapt full stretch but failed to hold on, palming the ball over the ropes for six. The right-hander didn’t look back, slamming Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel for towering sixes to bring up his fifty, and his celebration took you back to MS Dhoni's first hundred against Pakistan.At 91/1 in 10 overs, Pakistan looked in control before Shivam Dube’s golden arm turned things around.

He broke the 72-run stand by deceiving Saim Ayub with a slower one; this time Abhishek made amends with a diving catch running in from deep square. Dube then accounted for Farhan with another slower ball, Surya Yadav holding his nerve despite the batter’s bat flying out of his hands mid-shot.Kuldeep tightened the screws as Pakistan endured 21 balls without a boundary. Hussain Talat fell cheaply before skipper Salman Ali Agha ended the boundary drought, which lasted for 37 balls, with a six off the first ball of the 17th over.

Dube’s fine spell, however, was blemished when Nawaz plundered 17 runs. Nawaz was then found napping as he didn’t plant his bat in the crease and Surya’s direct hit connected on the bounce.Fielding lapses continued to haunt India. Shubman Gill spilled a sitter at deep mid-wicket, giving Faheem Ashraf a reprieve. Bumrah endured a rare off day, finishing wicketless for 45 runs in his four overs. Pakistan eventually closed at 171/5, aided by India’s butterfingers as Faheem’s late six came off yet another dropped chance, this time the culprit was Shivam Dube, who misjudged a catch at the third-man region.For India, despite the five missed opportunities, their bowlers kept Pakistan in check, but the lack of discipline in the field left the contest delicately poised heading into the chase.