Mohammad Rizwan hit an attacking 71 as Pakistan beat India by five wickets in a last-over Super Four thriller at the Asia Cup on Sunday.
Chasing 182 for victory, Pakistan achieved their target with one ball to spare in Dubai thanks to a key 73-run stand between Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz (42).
Rizwan was out after his second successive half-century in the 17th over but Khushdil Shah, with his unbeaten 14, and Asif Ali, who made 16 off eight balls, made sure Pakistan got over the line against Arshdeep Singh.
Reprieved after Arshdeep dropped an easy catch at short third man, Asif hit a six and two fours before falling with two balls left, leaving Iftikhar Ahmed to knock off the remaining two runs.
Earlier, Virat Kohli’s 60 guided India to 181-7 after being put in to bat first.
Pakistan started their chase cautiously and lost skipper Babar Azam for 14 with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi luring the batsman into a chip straight to mid-wicket.
The in-form Rizwan, who made 43 and 78 in the previous two matches, hit back with three boundaries off pace bowler Hardik Pandya and a six in the next over.
He put on 41 runs with Fakhar Zaman who played a scratchy knock of 13 before falling to Yuzvendra Chahal’s leg spin.
Pakistan promoted the left-handed Nawaz, primarily a spinner, in the batting order to up the scoring and he delivered by promptly hitting a four and six.
Rizwan, who hurt himself keeping wicket after landing awkwardly on his right leg but was able to continue, anchored the innings and reached fifty in 37 balls.
Nawaz smashed five fours and two sixes in his 20-ball blitz and stood firm with Rizwan before getting out to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Pandya removed Rizwan as India sensed a turnaround but the left-handed Khushdil and Asif pulled off the chase as Pakistan avenged their loss to India in the group stage.
Kohli, who hit 60 off 44 balls before being run out in the final over, helped India survive a middle-order stutter to post a competitive total.
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan stood out with figures of 2-31 from his four overs.
India v Pakistan, Asia Cup T20 scoreboard
Scoreboard from the Asia Cup T20 international Super Four between India and Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday:
India
KL Rahul c Nawaz b Shadab 28
R. Sharma c Khushdil b Rauf 28
V. Kohli run out (Asif) 60
S. Yadav c Asif b Nawaz 13
R. Pant c Asif b Shadab 14
H. Pandya c Nawaz b Hasnain 0
D. Hooda c Nawaz b Naseem 16
B. Kumar not out 0
R. Bishnoi not out 8
Extras (b4, w10) 14
Total (7 wickets, 20 overs) 181
Did not bat: A. Singh, Y. Chahal
Fall of wickets: 1-54 (Rohit), 2-62 (Rahul), 3-91 (Suryakumar), 4-126 (Pant), 5-131 (Pandya), 6-168 (Hooda), 7-173 (Kohli)
Bowling: Naseem 4-0-45-1, Hasnain 4-0-38-1 (w3), Rauf 4-0-38-1 (w6), Nawaz 4-0-25-1, Shadab 4-0-31-2 (w1)
Pakistan (target 182)
M. Rizwan c Suryakumar b Pandya 71
B. Azam c Rohit b Bishnoi 14
F. Zaman c Kohli b Chahal 15
M. Nawaz c Hooda b Kumar 42
K. Shah not out 14
A. Ali lbw b Arshdeep 16
I. Ahmed not out 2
Extras (lb2, w6) 8
Total (5 wickets, 19.5 overs) 182
Did not bat: S. Khan, H. Rauf, M. Hasnain, N. Shah
Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Azam), 2-63 (Fakhar), 3-136 (Nawaz), 4-147 (Rizwan), 5-180 (Asif)
Bowling: Kumar 4-0-40-1 (w2), Arshdeep 3.5-0-27-1, Bishnoi 4-0-26-1 (w3), Pandya 4-0-44-1 (w1), Chahal 4-0-43-1
Toss: Pakistan
Result: Pakistan won by five wickets
Umpires: Masudur Rahman (BAN), Raveendra Wimalasiri (SRI)
TV Umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
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