The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New York): The latest chapter of the “greatest rivalry” in cricket wasn’t high on quality but provided edge-of-the-seat action as a resilient India, guided by the formidable Jasprit Bumrah, defeated a faltering Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring T20 World Cup contest on Sunday.
The Rohit Sharma-led side faced a mid-innings collapse on a two-paced pitch, being all out for an underwhelming 119 in 19 overs despite a gutsy effort from Rishabh Pant (42 off 31 balls) after being put in to bat under overcast conditions.
Pakistan, known for their unpredictability, seemed to have the game in hand, needing 48 runs off as many balls with eight wickets in hand. However, the pace duo of Bumrah (3/14) and Hardik Pandya (2/24) brought India back into contention with incisive spells, leading to Pakistan’s downfall at 113 for seven in 20 overs.
The final equation came down to 18 runs needed off the last six balls, and Arshdeep Singh held his nerve to defend the target, securing another memorable win for India over Pakistan on the world stage. Hardik’s use of the short ball and Bumrah’s removal of a well-set Rizwan in the 15th over were pivotal moments.
India’s errors included dropped catches of Rizwan (31 off 34) and Babar Azam (13 off 10) early in Pakistan’s chase. This victory marked India’s second win in as many games, while Pakistan suffered another defeat following a shock loss to the USA in their opener.
Earlier, India’s new number three, Pant, played a chancy knock but other batters in the star-studded lineup struggled on the challenging surface. Pakistan’s bowling effort, led by Naseem Shah (3/21) and Mohammed Amir (2/23), dismissed India with an over to spare, with India losing seven wickets for just 28 runs after being 89 for three in the 12th over.
Intermittent rain delayed the toss and the start of the game by 50 minutes. Under overcast skies, Babar Azam opted to bowl first. After the opening over from Shaheen Afridi, rain halted the game again for 30 minutes.
Virat Kohli (4 off 3), known for his exemplary record against Pakistan, hit a glorious cover drive off Naseem Shah before being caught at point off a wide and short ball. Rohit Sharma (13 off 12) departed soon after, mistiming a shot to be caught at deep square leg.
The drop-in pitch, which had been controversial before the game, offered assistance to both pacers and spinners but lacked the uneven bounce seen in previous matches. With India reeling at 19 for two, they promoted Axar Patel (20 off 18) to number four to shield Suryakumar Yadav, a surprising move considering India’s deep batting lineup.
Axar and Pant shared a 39-run stand off 30 balls to keep the runs coming. Pant, who got two streaky fours off Mohammad Amir early in his innings, played a pivotal knock despite being dropped on eight. His confidence grew as he unleashed a series of fearless fours, including a reverse slap off spinner Imad Wasim.
However, Pakistan fought back between overs 11-15, taking four wickets while conceding only 15 runs, leaving India struggling at 96 for seven. Pant, seeing wickets fall around him, went for a straight aerial drive to give Amir his first wicket, followed by Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal.
Hardik Pandya (7 off 12) attempted to bat around the tail but did not last long, contributing to India’s total of 119. Despite the low total, India’s bowlers ensured a thrilling victory in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats.