So much for PSL effect: India cricket cut tragicomic Pakistan to shreds in Dhaka

Mohammed Amir was electric but it did not matter after the innings Pakistan's batters had on Saturday, as they were decimated for 84 by India's bowlers in a five-wicket defeat.

India’s Hardik Pandya, right, celebrates with his teammate Virat Kohli after the dismissal of Pakistan's Mohammed Amir, left, during their Asia Cup T20 match on Saturday night. AM Ahad / AP / FebruaryShow more

DHAKA // So much for the Pakistan Super League effect. Did the past three weeks in Dubai and Sharjah really just happen? Because it seemed back then that Pakistan's leading batsmen could actually play a bit in this format. Maybe it was all a mirage.

At least there is Mohammed Amir. And at least things can only improve from this point for Pakistan.

After all, this was not Dharamsala. They have plenty of time to right the litany of wrongs that happened here in Mirpur before they meet again at the World Twenty20 near the Himalayas on March 19.

Maybe they will even play again here, when the final of the Asia Cup takes place next Sunday. They cannot bat this badly this bad twice. Surely?

Their woes were encapsulated by Khurram Manzoor, the controversial selection for this tour and the more important one that follows next.

Read more: Osman Samiuddin interviews Shahid Afridi, reconsidering his T20I retirement

Also see: Dileep Premachandran's Eye on India column – Shreyas Iyer is the next big thing

And stay up to date with all our content: The National's Asia Cup T20 coverage

Having not featured at all in the PSL, and not been regarded as much of a T20 player by an overwhelming majority of observers anyway, Manzoor could have done with impressing.

He certainly caught they eye, but not in a good way. Comedy run outs are usually the sort where both batsmen end up at the same end, while the ball is at the other.

Manzoor came up with something unique, though. After being sent back by Shoaib Malik while in mid-pitch, he threw his bat, seemingly in panic, then had his stumps thrown down by Virat Kohli.

All that really did was put him out of his misery. He had managed 10 in 18 balls, and his attempts to get his scoring rate moving were excruciating.

Pakistan's entire attempt with the bat was tragicomic. Shahid Afridi was run out, too. Hardik Pandya, the young India whizkid, took three for eight, including two in two to finish the innings in a hurry. (Wearing No 228 on his back, he recorded a 2.28 economy rate in his 3.3 overs.)

Pakistan had only been out there for 17 and a half overs. It was woeful.

And then, Amir. The young man whose scriptwriter has an overactive imagination. The one who took a hat-trick in his first match in the PSL.

He has rarely been more irresistible than he was in his opening salvo at the National Stadium in Bangladesh’s capital.

India have the most vaunted top order in world cricket. During Amir’s first over in the Asia Cup, those same batsmen looked like schoolboys, and of the hapless Arya Gurukul School under 14 type.

First, Rohit Sharma, who had made 83 on this strip of turf three nights previously, was hit on the pads in front first ball.

He was spared by the umpire, but his stay of execution lasted just one delivery, as Amir trapped him by the exact same method the ball after.

Virat Kohli got off strike unconvincingly, then Ajinkya Rahane went the same way as Sharma two balls later. Suresh Raina was beaten first ball, but his stumps and outside edge remained unclipped.

The pity for the Pakistanis was that no one else was able to force open the gap Amir had prised open. Kohli took the Indians to the point of victory with 49, before Mohammed Sami nipped in with two quick wickets on his return to the side.

MS Dhoni, typically, struck the winning runs with effortless cool, as India made it two wins from two at the start of this competition.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport