Riding a wave of emotions across New York, India completed a remarkable victory, sparking a historic comeback and forcing Pakistan to the verge of an early exit. Despite a valiant effort by Rishabh Pant (42 off 31 balls) after being sent into bat in cloudy conditions, the Rohit Sharma-led team experienced a mid-innings breakdown on a two-paced track and were bundled out for a lackluster 119 in 19 overs.
Pakistan appeared to be winning the match easily as they needed to score 48 runs in as many balls with 8 wickets in hand as they were cruising at one stage. Despite Pakistan’s strong start, India’s resilient and disciplined bowling, coupled with crucial wickets, showcased the team’s determination and inspired a comeback.
Indian bowlers on target
India came back from the dead with sharp spells from Bumrah (3/14) and Hardik Pandya (2/24) that saw Pakistan lose wickets at an alarming rate to finish at 113 for seven in 20 overs. Arshdeep Singh maintained his composure to defend the equation when it came down to 18 off the final six balls, ensuring India would defeat Pakistan once more in history. Bumrah dismissed Iftikhar Ahmed in the 19th over for just three runs after Rizwan was well-set by Bumrah in the 15th over which turned the momentum, while Hardik made good use of the short ball.
The International Cricket Council anticipated that this game would be the one to watch out for, and the one that may offer the American audience a taste of a sport they have long refused to comprehend—despite the lack of excitement in the buildup for this encounter.
The game was delayed by rain, adding to the suspense. As expected, under the cloudy skies, Babar opted Pakistan to bat. The rain came back to stall the game again by almost half an hour after Shaheen Afridi’s opening over.
Earlier, the star-studded lineup’s batters failed to put in the necessary effort on a difficult surface, while India’s new number 3 Pant rode his luck to a bold knock. With one over remaining, Pakistan restricted the men in blue for a modest target because of an all-round bowling effort, the most notable of which came from Naseem Shah (3/21) and Mohammed Amir (2/23).
The match took a dramatic turn when India, at 89 for three in the 12th over, lost seven wickets for a mere 28 runs.
Though there wasn’t as much uneven bounce as in the previous games, the drop-in pitch-which made headlines before the game for all the wrong reasons had enough for both pacers and spinners.
After a 31-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, India reached an encouraging 81 for 3 in the first ten overs. However, between the overs 11 and 15, Pakistan made a stunning comeback, taking four wickets and restricting India to a challenging 96 for 7.
The men in blue did commit multiple errors during the match, including the failed catches of Babar Azam and Rizwan early in Pakistan’s chase. India won for the second time in as many games, while for Pakistan, it was their 2nd consecutive defeat in as many games as they failed to beat the USA in their opening fixture.
Bumrah was awarded the honour overnight at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island, NY.
With their six-run victory over Pakistan in New York, India matched the record for the lowest total defended in T20 World Cup history against their arch rivals. India has never before successfully defended a T20I total under 120. The lowest score India has previously defended was 138 against Zimbabwe in 2016.
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