India come from behind to down Pakistan in blockbuster clash

NEW YORK: Jasprit Bumrah-led bowling attack decimated Pakistan’s batting unit and powered India to a narrow six-run victory in the blockbuster ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 clash here at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Set to chase 120, Pakistan only managed 113 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Pakistan had a cautious start to the pursuit as their decorated opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan added 26 runs to the total before the former fell victim to Jasprit Bumrah in the fifth over after scoring 13.

Rizwan then put together an important partnership with Usman Khan as the duo added 31 runs to the total, taking Pakistan’s total to 57 at the halfway mark.

But Usman (13) was trapped lbw by Axar Patel on the first delivery of the 11th over as India forced a comeback.

Rizwan was then involved in yet another crucial partnership for Pakistan when he put together 26 runs for the third wicket with Fakhar Zaman.

The duo of Fakhar and Rizwan, however, failed to continue and perished in quick succession as Pakistan slipped to 80/4 in 14.1 overs.

The back-to-back dismissal halted the flow of runs for the Green Shirts and the new pair of Imad Wasim and Iftikhar Ahmed found it tough to score freely.

Iftikhar perished on the last delivery of the penultimate over after scoring a nine-ball five while Imad followed on the next delivery, walking back after a scratchy 15 which came off 23 deliveries.

Tailender tried to pull off the impossible for Pakistan with his 10-run cameo but Arshdeep Singh held his nerves under immense pressure to steer India to a hard-fought victory.

Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers for India for his 3/14 in four overs, followed by Hardik Pandya, who took two wickets.

Patel and Singh, on the other hand, made one scalp each.

Sent into bat first, India’s strong unit unfolded on a paltry 119 in 19 overs despite Rishabh Pant’s 42-run knock.

India had a decent start to their innings when Rohit Sharma scored eight off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first over but the returning rain halted their momentum.

Fortunately for cricket fans, it was a passing shower and the action resumed after a brief delay and Naseem Shah bowled from Pakistan from the other end.

The right-arm pacer brought major breakthrough for the Green Shirts as he dismissed Virat Kohli (4) with just 12 runs on the board.

Shaheen doubled the delight for Pakistan in the next over when he avenged Sharma for a first-over six by dismissing him on a similar stroke. Sharma made 12 off 13 deliveries.

Returning wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant then took the reigns of India’s batting charge. He put together a crucial partnership with Axar Patel to anchor the innings.

Pant and Patel added 39 runs for the third wicket before Patel was cleaned up by Naseem in the eighth over.

Rishabh Pant then put together a one-sided partnership with Suryakumar Yadav.

The fourth-wicket stand, which yielded 31 runs, lasted with Yadav’s dismissal in the 12th over. The top-ranked T20I batter could score seven off eight.

Yadav’s dismissal sparked a middle-order collapse as India lost three more wickets in quick succession including their mainstay Pant, who fell prey to Mohammad Amir in the 15th over.

Pant remained the top-scorer for India with 42 off 31 deliveries, laced up with six boundaries.

Pakistan pacers, fuelled with momentum, soon rattled India’s toothless batting tail and booked them on a below-par total.

Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf picked up three wickets each for Pakistan, followed by Mohammad Amir, who bagged two, while Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with a wicket.

India are placed second in Group A standings of the T20 World Cup 2024 with two points after one match. Whereas, Pakistan are fourth with zero points.

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