India secured a dramatic six-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in a low-scoring thriller at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. Despite a disappointing batting performance, India‘s bowlers, led by the ever-reliable Jasprit Bumrah (3/14) and a resurgent Hardik Pandya (2/24), held their nerve to defend a paltry 120 runs.
Pakistan started their chase positively but were pegged back by wickets at regular intervals. Openers Mohammad Rizwan (31) and Babar Azam (18) provided a steady start, but once they departed, the Pakistan innings began to stutter. The introduction of spin by Ravindra Jadeja further tightened the grip, with the left-arm spinner conceding just 19 runs in his four overs.
However, the turning point came with the dismissal of the dangerous Shadab Khan (18). Pandya, who had earlier endured a forgettable outing with the bat (7 runs), produced a fiery short-ball delivery that Shadab top-edged for a straightforward catch to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Pandya’s celebration, a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders directed at Shadab, sparked memories of past battles between the two players. But it was captain Rohit Sharma‘s warm embrace of Pandya that stole the show, seemingly putting to rest any lingering rumours of tension between the Mumbai Indians teammates.
Chasing a revised target of 18 runs from the final over bowled by Arshdeep Singh, Pakistan’s hopes briefly flickered. A six and a four off the first two balls brought the equation down to eight runs needed from four deliveries. However, Singh held his nerve, conceding just two more runs and sealing a narrow victory for India.
Earlier, India’s batsmen struggled against a disciplined Pakistani bowling attack. Openers Rohit Sharma (14) and KL Rahul (17) fell cheaply, while Virat Kohli‘s scratchy innings of 20 runs failed to provide momentum. The lone bright spark came from Rishabh Pant, who played a quick-fire knock of 42 runs before being dismissed by Mohammad Amir.
Despite the batting struggles, India’s bowling attack stood tall. Bumrah, as always, was unplayable, extracting swing and seam movement throughout his spell. Pandya’s two wickets, along with crucial contributions from Arshdeep Singh (2/25) and Mohammed Siraj (1/22), ensured India had a defendable total on the board.
This victory takes India to the top of the group stages, while Pakistan’s woes continue after their opening defeat to the USA. With plenty of cricket still to be played, both teams will be looking to improve their performances as the tournament progresses.
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