In a dramatic showdown at the T20 World Cup in New York, India dealt a severe blow to Pakistan’s tournament hopes with a thrilling six-run victory.
Billed as one of the clashes of the tournament, the match lived up to its hype, coming down to the final over. Pakistan needed 12 runs from the last two balls but fell short, managing only six, as they battled valiantly but succumbed to their old foes once again.
Jasprit Bumrah’s crucial wickets (3-14) and Hardik Pandya’s key contributions (2-24) turned the game in India’s favor after they were bowled out for 119 by Pakistan. Bumrah took the pivotal wicket of Mohammad Rizwan (31), who was anchoring Pakistan’s innings.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that initially seemed to work in their favor. Naseem Shah (3-21), Haris Rauf (3-21), and Mohammad Amir (2-21) starred with the ball, reducing India from 89-3 to 119 all out, taking seven wickets for just 30 runs.
However, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered under pressure. From a promising 72-2, they collapsed to 88-5, unable to find the necessary boundaries in the final overs to secure a win.
In Group A, India now sits at the top of the table, with the USA in second. Pakistan is in fourth place, still searching for their first win.
Chasing a 120-run target, Babar Azam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (10) started strong for Pakistan, building a solid partnership early in the second innings. But the momentum shifted when Babar, the Pakistan skipper, was caught by Suryakumar Yadav, leaving Pakistan at 26-1 after 4.4 overs.
Rizwan, despite nursing a finger injury from a Hardik delivery, continued to build alongside Usman Khan, bringing Pakistan to 57-1 at the halfway mark. Hopes of victory remained high, but the team ultimately fell short.
Despite Pakistan’s bowlers’ impressive performance, the team now faces two losses from two games, following a shocking defeat to the USA, severely denting their hopes of reaching the Super 8.
