Abhishek Fires India To Win Over Pakistan But No Handshakes Again

Dubai: Opener Abhishek Sharma hit a blazing 74 as India beat Pakistan by six wickets and again refused to shake hands with their opponents in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Sunday.

Chasing 172 for victory, India rode on a 105-run opening stand between the left-handed Abhishek and Shubman Gill, who made 47, to achieve their target with seven balls to spare in Dubai.

The rivals came into the contest of the regional tournament with tensions high after India angered Pakistan by also refusing to shake hands when the pair met in the group stage.

Tempers flared on the field when Gill and Shaheen Afridi exchanged simmering glances after the batter hit the pace bowler for a boundary.

Both Abhishek and Gill came out roaring with a flurry of boundaries to unsettle the Pakistan attack as they raced to 101-0 in 9 overs.

Abhishek and Haris Rauf kept up the spice with a fiery exchange.

"Today was pretty simple, the way they were coming out to us without any reason, I did not like it at all," Abhishek said after being named player of the match.

"That's why I went after them. I wanted to deliver for the team."

Medium-pace bowler Faheen Ashraf bowled Gill, and Rauf in the next over took down skipper Suryakumar Yadav for a duck to check India's surge.

Abhishek fell to Abrar Ahmed's leg spin after his 35-ball blitz laced with six fours and five sixes.

Rauf took one more wicket but Tilak Varma, with his unbeaten 30 off 19 balls, steered the team home off a six and a four.

The Indian batters quickly left the field while Pakistan players shook hands amongst themselves.

"We are yet to play a perfect game, but we are getting there," said Pakistan captain Salman Agha. "A great game but in the powerplay (first six overs) they took the game away from us."

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