MS Dhoni India Asia Cup 2016
MS Dhoni will his India team were too hot to handle for PakistanIANS

10.18 pm: What a match. Not the high-scoring, brilliant hitting one, but a gripping one neverthless. Kohli was the difference, but that Amir spell will stick in the mind for quite a while. That's it from me for now, catch you guys soon and do stay here for all the reports, reaction and analysis of the match.

9.59 pm: Yuvraj takes a single and then Dhoni finishes the match off with a club through the offside. Indis win by 5 wickets and 27 balls to spare.

9.56 pm: First ball is full and Dhoni defends, and then he punches one through the covers for a three. India 80/5 in 15 overs. 4 to win from 30 balls.

9.54 pm: Dhoni, with the bad back and all, is in.

9.52 pm: Wicket, Pandya (0, 2b) gone! Poor shot from Pandya, who goes hard at a ball well outside off, and only gets an outside edge to Hafeez in the slips, with the veteran doing a bit of a juggle before hanging on. Just a bit of a wobble, when it wasn't needed. India 76/5 in 14.3 overs.

9.49 pm: Wicket, Kohli (49, 51b, 7x4) gone! Oh dear, he can't finish it off. Sami darts the ball in, Kohli tries to flick it, but seemingly misses. Sounded like two noises, and there was a slight inside edge, with Kohli showing the umpire the bat as well. Kohli can't believe it when the finger is raised, but then he does crack a smile, knowing the match is won. Pity though he wasn't allowed to finish it. India 76/4 in 14.1 overs.

9.47 pm: Wow, just plain, wow.  What. A. Shot. That cover drove again, boy that is a gorgeous cover drive. Finds the gap as well for a boundary off Wahab. India 76/3 in 14 overs. India need 8 from 36 balls.

9.44 pm: Irfan comes in again for his final over. Kohli gets a couple second ball with some outstanding running. Irfan replies with a short ball, which Virat lets go. And then Yuvraj gets another free hit as Irfan bowls a no-ball. Yuvraj fails to connect again, a shortish ball this time, which falls well short of long-on. India 69/3 in 13 overs. India need 15 from 42 balls.

9.38 pm: A couple of good balls from Sami and then Kohli pounces on one on the stumps, guiding it through midwicket for a boundary. Pull shot comes in next, only for a single. India 63/3 in 12 overs. India need 21 from 48 balls.

9.34 pm: Wahab Riaz starts his second over with a no-ball and Yuvraj has a free hit as Kohli takes a single. Yuvraj fails to take advantage, finding the fielder in the covers off a drive from a low full toss. Yuvraj then gets into a bit of a muddle, trying to sway away from a ball that didn't bounce as much, with the ball striking the top of his bat instead. Short again, and Yuvraj gets hit on his thigh, while going for the swivel shot. Survives, though, and survives well enough. Kohli takes a single final ball to bring up the fifty parntership, off just 54 balls. India 58/3 in 11 overs. 

9.28 pm: Just a little lucky first ball is Kohli as Sami comes back. An inside edge that could have easily hit the stumps goes to fine-leg for a couple. India 53/3 in 10 overs.

9.22 pm: The quickest of the Pakistan bowlers, probably, Wahab Riaz comes in. First ball is at 150kmph and Kohli smashes it through the offside for a boundary. Next ball is on the stumps, and Kohli whips it for a couple, before bending down on one knee to smash another cover drive for a drool-inducing boundary. Yuvraj then says I want some of that as well, whipping one off his legs for a boundary to backward square leg. India 50/3 in 9 overs.

9.18 pm: Just living a little dangerously is Kohli, who keeps going for that dab down to third man against Irfan. One ball drops a little short of the slips and flies away for a boundary. India 35/3 in 8 overs.

9.13 pm: Amir to bowl his fourth and final over. A couple of boundaries, consecutive, from Kohli. First is a whip off his hips for a boundary to square-leg, and then it is the shot of the match, a beautiful cover drive against the best bowler of the game. Amir finishes with figures of 4-0-18-3. It doesn't even flatter him that, that's how well he has bowled. India 29/3 in 7 overs.

9.09 pm: Not looking convincing is Yuvraj, but he survives Irfan again, with a couple of nice leaves in there. Nearly gives a catch to Sharjeel at midwicket, though, as he fails to properly time a pull shot. India 21/3 in 6 overs. 

9.04 pm: Short ball to start off from Amir, which goes miles above Kohli and wicketkeeper Sarfraz's head for five wides. Next ball, though, Kohli gets a genuine outside edge, and the ball goes in between the first slip and the wider one for a single to third man. Lucky is Kohli, who shakes his head, knowing he played a poor shot. And then a bit of comic relief, as Umra Akmal smashes the umpire with a throw. The umpire, unaware that Akmal is throwing the ball at the non-striker's end, as modern-day cricketers randomly do, gets the ball right in the place where nobody likes it. Akmal, after apologising, cannot hide his laughter, even if he tries to by putting his arm across his face. Yikes, that must have hurt! Barely any swing for Amir in this over, the dew probably coming into play. Amir, realising that, comes around the wicket, and beats Kohli's bat off the final ball. India 20/3 in 5 overs.

8.58 pm: Now that's more like it. Mohammad Irfan is given the ball, pitches it up outside off and Yuvraj plays a gorgeous cover drive for a boundary. Not so assured is Yuvraj next couple of balls, as a couple of inside edges causes a bit of worry. That Irfan bounce then comes into play as one carries off a good length past Yuvraj's nose. Man that reared up. Yuvraj then plays and misses. India 13/3 in 4 overs.

8.54 pm: Oh my oh my is Yuvraj Singh lucky. Leaves a ball outside off does the left-hander, it tails in this time, and misses the top of offstump by an absolute whisker. Great leave Yuvraj will say, but boy that was close. What an over from Amir again, he could win this match single-handedly. India 9/3 in 3 overs.

8.50 pm: Ooh nearly a wicket there as Amir gets one to keep low, with Raina just getting his bat down. Scurries for a quick single. Oh my that looked out. Amir gets one to nip back in again, and Kohli, looking to play it to the onside, misses and there is a huge appeal for lbw. Umpire says no, probably for height. And then, Wicket, Raina (1, 4b) gone! Do not play across the line, but the India batsmen just don't seem to learn the basics. Raina looks to play the ball to the onside when Amir is swinging it in to the right-hander and away from the left-hander prodigiously. Raina gets a leading edge and wahab completes a simple catch at mid-on. India in deep, deep trouble. India 8/3 in 2.4 overs.

8.46 pm: Two nice defensive shots from Kohli off Mohammad Sami, and then he whips one off the stumps for a couple to backward square. And then a misfield from Wahab gives Kohli another couple to ther onside. India 6/2 in 2 overs.

8.43 pm: Suresh Raina now and he gets a ripper first up, as Amir squares the left-hander up with a ball that moves away. Defends the final ball. India 2/2 in 1 over.

8.41 pm: No first ball worries for Kohli, who dabs it down to third man for a single. Amir then bowls a wide down the legside to Rahane. Wicket, Rahane (0, 1b) gone! Amir is on fire! Another ball that comes in sharply, Rahane is too far across and cannot get the bat down in time, poor batting from the opener when you know the ball is moving in. Plumb in front again, and what a brilliant start this is from Amir, absolutely outstanding. India 2/2 in 0.4 overs.

8.38 pm: Amir to bowl to Rohit. Man what a first ball. A brillaint yorker, and Pakistan go for a big, big appeal as the ball hits Rohit's toe. The ball might have just been missing off. Next ball, though, Wicket, Rohit (0, 2b) gone! Gets one to come in off a full length, Rohit misses, and it strikes him on the pad. Pakistan go for a big appeal again, and the umpire, this time, after a bit of a thought, gives it out. What a start for Amir and Pakistan. India 0/1 in 0.2 overs. Virat Kohli is in.

8.34 pm: Right, the players are back on the field. India need 84 in 20 overs for a win.

8.22 pm: Wow, what happened there. Pakistan absolutely capitulated, with only Sarfraz showing any kind of fight. India were outstanding with the ball and even better on the field, and they just did not allow the Pakistan batsmen to breathe. Brilliant stuff from India, awful from Pakistan, who are bowled out for their third lowest total in T20Is.

But, Pakistan do have a potent bowling attack, maybe they can make a game of it. Early wickets needed. Back in a few minutes.

8.21 pm: Jasprit Bumrah: I was excited and looking forward to the match. There is wlays pressure, but I tried to treat it as a normal game.  Everybody's quite chiled out and we are just focusing on the match, the dressing room was quite a fun place to be. There is a bit of bounce int he wicket, there was more grass in the last wicket, but this one has more seam movement.

8.17 pm: Wicket, Amir (1, 8b) gone! And that is that. Pandya bowls it quick and fast and at the stumps, Amir missed and the wickets are rattled. Pakistan 83 all out in 17.3 overs.

8.15 pm: Wicket, Sami (8, 16b, 1x4) gone! Set him up did Dhoni. Moved a fielder deep on the onside for the short ball, Pandya duly delivered that and Sami duly went for the pull shot. Only got a top edge and Raina completes the catch at deep midwicket. Pakistan 83/9 in 17.2 overs.

8.13 pm: A slog sweep and Sami hits Ashwin for a boundary to backward square. Then five runs for Pakistan as Ashwin gets a seam-up delivery completely wrong and the ball slides down leg past Dhoni for a boundary. Pakistan get a much-needed big over. Pakistan 83/8 in 17 overs.

8.10 pm: Mohammad Amir defends the remaining five balls, with a wide thrown in. Pakistan 71/8 in 16 overs.

8.06 pm: Wicket, Sarfraz (25, 24b, 3x4)  gone! Oh dear, Sarfraz has played so well, but he is out now. Jadeja fires in the quicker one and it comes in one the angle and dismantles the stumps as the batsman misses while trying to glide one fine. Sarfraz is distraught and there is an unnecessary check for a no-ball, when nearly Jadeja's entire front foot was behind the crease. Pakistan 70/8 in 15.1 overs.

8.06 pm: Cow corner comes to play finally, as Sarfraz uses that open sapce for a boundary, dancing down the track and forcing it past the ropes. Plenty of turn for Ashwin here, albeit a little slow. Pakistan 70/7 in 15 overs.

8.03 pm: Misses out on a paddle sweep first ball does Sarfraz, but then he gets a much-needed boundary with a wonderful late cut fine past short third man. Single and three dots. Pakistan 63/7 in 14 overs.

8.01 pm: R Ashwin for the first time then. Gets a bit of turn first ball, which Sami pushes to the onside. Next ball, Sami dabs it to short third man, and Sarfraz scampers for a quick single. Carrom ball greets the batsman, who helps it for one to the onside. Pakistan 58/7 in 13 overs.

7.58 pm: Mohammad Sami gets off strike as a wide gets away from Dhoni and the batsmen run a single. Sarfraz defends and then takes a couple off the last ball. So, not keeping the strike yet then. Pakistan 56/7 in 12 overs.

7.56 pm: Still no sign of Ashwin, and with the two right-handers in it is Ravindra Jadeja, who picks up a Wicket, Wahab (4, 12b) gone! Easy peasy for Jadeja, darts one in, Wahab, losing his patience, goes for the big sweep shot, misses and gets struck plumb in front. Pakistan 52/7 in 11.4 overs.

7.53 pm: Just about taking the singles and not losing a wicket now, as Pandya bowls another over. Pakistan 51/6 in 11 overs

7.50 pm: Nearly a run out again as another misunderstanding for a couple nearly has Wahab out. The throw goes to the wrong end, though. Pakistan 47/6 in 10 overs.

7.47 pm: Good stuff from Pandya, who bowls a couple of really good short ones. Pakistan 43/6 in 9 overs.

7.41 pm: Shahid Afridi is in much earlier than he would have liked. Takes a single first ball, and then, after Sarfraz Ahmed defends one, he gets a much-needed boundary, cutting a short ball outsdie off behind point. Extremely lucky next ball as he sees a sweep shot take a top edge, but land safely, in the open spaces in the onside infield. 

Wicket, Afridi (2, 2b) gone! Afridi what are you doing? You do not take Jadeja on, you just don't. Crazy, crazy stuff from Pakistan here. Afridi dabs one to the onside, and he decides to go for a couple. Jadeja, quick as a flash, runs in from the outfield and bullets, and i mean bullets, a throw in to Dhoni, who whips off the bails with Afridi well out of his crease. Umpire needs only one replay to make the decision. Pakistan 42/6 in 8 overs.

7.38 pm: Wicket, Umar Akmal (3, 4b) gone! Yuvi, you beauty. First ball from Yuvraj Singh, just slides in, Akmal puts his foot out and tries to defend, misses it and the ball strikes him plumb in front of the wicket. Yuvraj was celebrating as he was appealing. Pakistan 35/5 in 7.1 overs.

7.36 pm: Nehra is off and Hardik Pandya is given the ball. First ball of the over is short and Umar Akmal pulls it to deep backward square for a couple. A single is taken to third man third ball, and then, after a couple of dots, Wicket, Malik (4, 12b, 1x4) gone! The carrot ball does the trick. Full and wide outside off, and Malik chases it, only gets an outside edge, with Dhoni taking the catch behind the wicket. Pakistan 35/4 in 7 overs.

7.32 pm: Umar Akmal is in. Pakistan 32/3 in 6 overs.

7.31 pm: First ball, Bumrah slides down leg, and Malik glances it for a boundary. Next ball comes in as well, and it hits the batsman's pads. Big appeal, but that shake of the head again. Hawk-eye says the ball would have hit leg-stump. Rub of the green going to the men in green here, and Pakistan need to take advantage. A nice drive from Malik, but he is unlucky as the ball goes dead straight and hits the stumps and then a misunderstanding and Wicket, Manzoor (10, 18b, 1x4) gone! He has lived a bit of a charmed life has Manzoor, and it is a run out that gets him. Complete misunderstanding, Manzoor goes for thw quick single, as Malik drives one to extra cover. A big no after a maybe comes too late from Malik, and Manzoor is well off his crease. Still plenty to do for Kohli, though, who does it wonderfully well, striking the stumps direct, and the vice-captain, who had a word with the umpire after that missed call, is pumped up. Pakistan 32/3 in 5.5 overs.

7.27 pm: Two dot balls from Nehra, and then Manzoor goes down the track trying to break the shackles. Clubs one to mid-on, with Hardik Pandya misfielding and allowing a couple. Mehra gives Pandya the stare for that misfield, but then he was celebrating the next ball, as he thinks he has Manzoor. Goes for the paddle over fine-leg, and it clearly, clearly, clearly takes a glove or an edge, a big sound as the ball passes through. Indians celebrate as if the wicket is a foregone conclusion, but umpire Sis Saikat shakes his head. Wonder why an umpire, who clearly is not experienced enough is umporing an India vs Pakistan match, cannot understand that, really. Anybody migth have made a mistake, but you reduce the chance of that by putting an experienced umpire in there. Nehra is incensed and Dhoni is far from happy. Pakistan 28/2 in 5 overs.

7.22 pm: Shoaib Malik is the news batsman. Gets beaten outside off first ball, but takes the next for a boundary through the right of backward point, a nice square drive. Next ball is outstanding, as Malik is squared up completely, no edge, though. Pakistan 26/2 in 4 overs.

7.18 pm: What a nice shot that is from Sharjeel, who gets a beautiful pull shot out for a boundary through midwicket. Wicket, Sharjeel (7, 5b, 1x4) gone! Bumrah comes back brilliantly after being carted for a boundary. Sharjeel looks to cut a ball outside off, it was a nice slower ball that bounced a little, and he only gets a thick outside edge, and Rahane does not drop them, does he. Pakistan 22/2 in 3.3 overs.

7.16 pm: Sharjeel takes strike for the first time, and Nehra gets his line wrong for the left-hander, slides down leg, and despite the ball clearly striking the pads and the batsmen running for a leg-bye, the umpire calls it a wide, much to everyone's bemusement. Manzoor does not hand around against Nehra, shifts his right leg out of the way and clubs the ball through midwicket for a four. Nehra overcompensates next ball with one wide outside off, and Manzoor pushes it through covers for a three. It was not a boundary only because of some brilliant fielding from Jadeja, who hares at the ball and stops it just inside the ropes. The fourth ball sees another three, not convincing from Sharjeel, who mistimes a pull shot, but the ball just goes over square-leg. A wide, the second of the over, follows, before a couple of dots to finish off the over. Pakistan 18/1 in 3 overs.

7.09 pm: Jasprit Bumrah gets the new ball at the other end. First ball is right on the money, and it strikes Manzoor on the pads, with the ball coming in on the angle. A big appeal is made, but the height probably saved him there. Next ball, Manzoor goes hard at a ball outside off and is beaten. Again, Bumrah tails one in after that, and it again strikes Manzoor's pads, with the ball lobbing up high. Bumrah takes the catch on the full and a token appeal is made. A push to mid-on and then Manzoor is lucky again as he gets an inside-edge, which saves him. Defends the final ball. Pakistan 5/1 in 2 overs.

7.05 pm: On the money again is Nehra the final couple of balls, as Khurram Manzoor defends the first ball, before gliding one to third man for a single, Pakistan 5/1 in 1 over.

7.02 pm: Doesn't get it to swing in second ball, and Hafeez is allowed to free his arms and drive one through teh covers for the first boundary of the match. Third ball, Nehra gets it to swing in again, and Hafeez defends on off stumps, with the ball just keeping a touch low. And then,

Wicket, Hafeez (4, 4b, 1x4) gone! the previous one kept a touch low, but this one rises up from a good length, Hafeez pokes at it and gets a thin slight edge through to MS Dhoni, who makes no mistake with the catch. Pakistan 4/1 in 0.4 overs.

7 pm: First ball, Nehra gets it to swing in to Hafeez, who defends straight.

6.59 pm: The players are out on the field. Almost there for the first ball. Ashish Nehra to bowl to Mohammad Hafeez. That countdown thingy has begun.

6.55 pm: Man, time crawls when you want it to fly, doesn't it. Seems liek ages ago, I said fifteen minutes to go. And now, there sre still five minutes for the match start.

6.45 pm: Early wickets, a cliche, yes, but India will not want Pakistan to get off to a fast start. Fifteen minutes to go for the match.

6.34 pm: Teams: India: Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (C), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah.

Pakistan: Sharjeel Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan.

6.30 pm: India win the toss and will bowl first. Slightly harder wicket, but still on the softer side, says Dhoni, who admits India haven't read the wicket perfectly so far. Dew factor also a reason for the bowl-first decision. "Pressure is always there," Dhoni adds. "I'm surviving," he says on his back spasm issue.

One change for India, Dhawan has a niggle and Ajinkya Rahane comes in. All fast bowlers for Pakistan. "Very relaxed," says Afridi. 

6.29 pm: Captains Dhoni and Afridi are walking out onto the field for the toss.

6.28 pm: Dean Jones with the pitch report for Star Sports. Some grass as well as bare spots on there again in Mirpur. Bowl first wicket for Jones.

6.20 pm: Ten minutes to go for the toss. Wonder what the pitch will be like today. Enough of the bowlers' paradise, aye, surely time for some smash-bang.

6.06 pm: Here is some reading material as we wait for the toss.

Here is a picture gallery of the India vs Pakistan match

India's and Pakistan's possible lineups and the latest on Dhoni.

The key battles, the players to watch, and Kohli's T20 stats against Pakistan.

Here is what Sania feels when watching India vs Pakistan.

Some of the best India vs Pakistan matches with videos, and how the last five T20s went between these two great teams.

6 pm: The huddle is already on. The India players huddle up before the start of the warm-ups, while Shahid Afridi gives a bit of geeing up to his Pakistan team.

5.45 pm: India vs Pakistan – another match in another Asia Cup. Since the Asia Cup has begun, there really has been only one match we have all been looking forward to really, and now it is finally upon us.

Hello, everyone and welcome to this fantabulous live blog of IBTimes India (yup, I'm telling you, it is world famous). This is Deepak here and I will be guiding you through every four, every six, every wicket, every controversy (ah, c'mon, you know you like them) and every little bit of excitement of this India vs Pakistan match as it happens. So sit back, relax (well, as much as that is possible in this match) and let me take you through what will hopefully be one fun ride.

This Saturday for me, at least, has been about just willing this match to start as quickly as possible. But then, as is always the case, when you want something to come quickly, it takes its own sweet time. However, finally, that time has come, and here we are then, with India looking to pick up their second win of this Asia Cup, while Pakistan target the perfect beginning to their campaign.

India are the obvious favourites, what with their superstar batting lineup (there, darn it, I have jinxed it) and that brilliant run they have been on in T20Is this year. Pakistan, though, are Pakistan and they will come at India hard, with all of that wonderful pace attack of theirs.

Will it be enough, though? Well, we will find out soon enough.