On Sunday, Jasprit Bumrah led India to a six-run victory over Pakistan in a low-scoring T20 World Cup thriller in New York.
Pakistan knocked India out for 119 in 19 overs, but while Mohammad Rizwan struck 31 in a well-paced innings, Bumrah supplied important wickets, and his 3-14 in four overs proved pivotal as Pakistan fell just short, finishing on 113-7.
Despite a challenging batting surface, a crowd of 34,028, a record for an international cricket match in the United States, witnessed a close affair that ebbed and flowed.
Bumrah took the crucial wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam (13) and then the decisive removal of Mohammad Rizwan (31) in the 15th over, when Pakistan were 80-4. Then, handed the ball for the penultimate over, with Pakistan needing 21 to win, Bumrah surrendered only three runs and dismissed Iftikhar Ahmed with his last delivery.
This left Pakistan needing 18 from the last over, a daunting assignment on a challenging batting surface that became more harder when Arshdeep Singh caught Imad Wasim behind with the first delivery. Naseem Shah made a spirited effort, striking fours on the fourth and fifth balls of the over, but India held on for their second win of the tournament.
Pakistan’s loss, coming after their shock defeat to the United States, leaves them with no points and a lot of work to do against Canada and Ireland if they want to make it to the Super Eight stage.
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers gave their team a fighting chance, with Naseem and Haris Rauf taking three wickets each as India were bowled with a full over remaining from their allotted 20.
However, Rishabh Pant’s 42 from 31 balls provided some hope for the Indians after losing openers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply.
Rain delayed the start of the game, which was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 34,000 people, the most of whom supported tournament favourites India.
Pakistan captain Babar won the toss and chose to bowl, prompting a raucous shout when Rohit clipped Shaheen Shah Afridi’s third delivery of the day over midwicket for six. However, after just one over, the rain returned, causing a 36-minute delay, and when play resumed, Pakistan’s attack received the start they had hoped for.
Naseem dismissed Kohli with the third ball back, the Indian opener swinging for a wide delivery and finding Usman Khan at point. Rohit attempted to get Afridi off the midwicket boundary again, but he was caught in the deep by Haris Rauf, leaving India at 19-2 with both star openers gone.
