India’s exciting six-run victory in New York delivered a devastating blow to rival Pakistan’s ambitions of qualifying for the T20 World Cup.
Important Points
>Touted as one of the matchups of the year, the match lived up to the hype as it proceeded to the very end. Pakistan had to score 12 runs in the last two balls but could only manage six, despite their best efforts, as they were defeated by their old rivals.
> India altered the tide of the match after Pakistan knocked them out for 119, thanks to wickets from Jasprit Bumrah (3-14) and Hardik Pandya (2-24), who fell on the critical wicket of Mohammad Rizwan (31), who was leading the batting.
Touted as one of the matchups of the year, the match lived up to the hype as it proceeded to the very end. Pakistan had to score 12 runs in the last two balls but could only manage six, despite their best efforts, as they were defeated by their old rivals.
India altered the tide of the match after Pakistan knocked them out for 119, thanks to wickets from Jasprit Bumrah (3-14) and Hardik Pandya (2-24), who fell on the critical wicket of Mohammad Rizwan (31), who was leading the batting.
Naseem Shah (3-21), Haris Rauf (3-21), and Mohammad Amir (2-21) were impressive with the ball in hand as Pakistan reduced India from 89-3 to 119 all out, with 30 runs coming as seven wickets fell. Pakistan won a crucial toss and elected to bowl, which looked to work to their favour.
The Pakistani batting assault, however, crumbled under the strain and was reduced from 72-2 to 88-5 themselves, unable to hit significant boundaries in the last overs to secure a commanding victory.
India now leads Group A, followed by the United States in second place. Currently ranked fourth, Pakistan has not yet secured a victory.
Hardik and Bumrah strike to cut short Pakistan’s pursuit
Babar Azam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (10), who had set a target of 120 runs for India, appeared to be forming a strong partnership early in the second innings. However, the Pakistani captain was the first to fall, as he hit one to Suryakumar Yadav in the slips, leaving his team on 26-1 after 4.4 overs.
With a finger injury sustained from a Hardik delivery, Rizwan then began to develop with Usman Khan, taking their side to 57-1 at the midway point and giving them confidence that they might win.
But India quickly took advantage of the review, which demonstrated that he was struck in line and the ball was not slipping down as the umpire had initially believed, to remove Usman Khan (13) by leg before wicket with his first delivery of the session.
After gloving one up in the air from a Hardik delivery, Fakhar Zaman (13) was the man to partner with Rizwan in the middle as they proceeded at the required run rate of six. However, a mistake from the former saw him caught behind by Pant, leaving Pakistan on 73-3 after 13 overs and needing 47 runs from 42 balls.
With four wickets lost and more than a run a ball now needed—37 runs from 30 balls—Pakistan was under pressure as Bumrah emerged as the game’s hero after taking the crucial wicket of Rizwan with a stunning inswinger.
India took control of the game with a jittery vibe in the air as Pakistan was pursuing it. Shadab Khan (4) was caught behind by Pant after being tricked by Hardik’s short delivery, leaving Pakistan requiring 21 from 12 balls.
The thrilling conclusion to the match then reached fever pitch when Arshdeep caught Iftikhar Ahmed (5) after he hit one ball high on the last delivery of the 19th over, the opening ball of the twentieth was then grabbed behind by Imad Wasim, fifteen.
Pakistan added a single and then a reverse scoop boundary with 18 runs needed from five deliveries and seven wickets down, but they could only find six of the necessary 12 runs from the final two balls, leaving them agonisingly close to only their second-ever T20 World Cup victory against India and putting India ahead in Group A.
Pakistan’s defeat would be more painful given their impressive performance in the first innings, which saw them restrict India to 119 runs.
Star performances came from Rauf to remove Suryakumar (7), Shah to dismiss Virat Kohli (4), Patel (20), Dube (3), and Hardik (7) and Bumrah (0) in consecutive deliveries.
Amir will dismiss Ravindra Jadeja (0) and danger man Pant (42) in consecutive balls.
Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the Super 8 are seriously hampered by their shocking setback to the USA, which has left them with two losses from two games despite their bowlers’ strong performance.
