DUBAI( The COW News Digital) Pakistan’s cricket team set an unusual record for the most dot balls played in a Twenty20 international during their crucial Asia Cup match against India on Sunday, a game that ended in a disappointing defeat for the Men in Green.
After winning the toss at Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan’s skipper opted to bat first, but the decision backfired as the team could only post 127 runs in their allotted 20 overs, giving India a modest target of 128. The Indian side comfortably chased it down with three wickets lost, sealing victory with several balls to spare.
Pakistan’s innings was marked by slow scoring and poor strike rotation, resulting in a staggering 63 dot balls out of 120 deliveries – effectively wasting more than half of their batting opportunities. Cricket analysts noted that this was among the highest number of dot balls played by a team in Asia Cup T20 history.
Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 40 runs off 44 deliveries, anchoring the innings but struggling to accelerate at crucial moments. Shaheen Shah Afridi provided a brief spark lower down the order with a quickfire 33 off 16 balls, hitting several boundaries to push the score past 120.
Despite hitting seven fours and seven sixes in the innings, Pakistan failed to keep the scoreboard ticking consistently. The collapse of four key batters for just 19 runs added further pressure, with Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Nawaz all dismissed cheaply.
Fans expressed frustration over the team’s overly cautious approach, with many comparing the performance to “playing Test cricket in a T20 match.” Social media was flooded with criticism, calling for changes in batting strategy and team composition ahead of future matches.
Cricket experts highlighted that dot balls are often the difference between competitive and below-par totals in T20 cricket. Former players have urged Pakistan’s management to work on strike rotation and mental toughness in high-pressure games, especially against arch-rivals India.
The result leaves Pakistan with a must-win scenario in their remaining group-stage fixtures if they are to stay in contention for a spot in the Asia Cup final. The coaching staff is expected to review batting plans and possibly shuffle the order to bring more intent in the powerplay overs.
