Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 15 : Pakistani mystery spinner Usman Tariq said the team's vibe is upbeat and playing India-Pakistan clash is a dream after blowing a brilliant spell against India in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Colombo on Sunday.
Tariq noted the Colombo pitch was slow; although he couldn't take many wickets, he kept the batters' momentum in check. He expressed confidence that Pakistan could chase the target, citing the batters' clear intent and strong momentum from previous games.
The Men in Blue posted 175/7, the highest team total in the India-Pakistan match at the ICC T20 World Cup. However, Tariq bowled a brilliant spell, scalping a wicket while giving away just 24 runs in 4 overs.
"Vibes are pretty good. Great experience playing Pakistan vs India. Dream to play this game. The pitch was quite slow, and I have already played in the CPL and have plenty of experience with slow pitches. I wasn't able to take more wickets. At least I kept the momentum (of the batters) low. We are on the safe side now. Of course, of course (can Pakistan chase it down?). (Our) Batters have great momentum. The intent they have shown (in previous games) shows their mind is very clear," Usman Tariq said after the first innings.
Ishan Kishan's blistering 77 helped India to post a challenging target of 176 runs against Pakistan. Apart from Kishan, Tilak Varma (25) and Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32) provided vital support, while a late cameo from Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube helped India to reach a respective total.
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub took a three-wicket haul (3/25). Tariq (1/24), Shaheeen Afridi (1/31), and captain Salman Agha (1/10) were also among the wicket-takers.