Mumbai: A stellar bowling performance by Jasprit Bumrah and a crucial innings by Rishabh Pant guided India to a nail-biting six-run victory over Pakistan in their ICC T20 World Cup match at Nassau County Stadium on Sunday. With this win, India remains undefeated at the top of Group A, securing four points from two matches, while Pakistan’s prospects for advancing to the knockout stage look bleak after two consecutive losses.
Chasing a modest target of 120, Pakistan began cautiously. Skipper Babar Azam managed only two boundaries before falling to Bumrah for 13 runs off 10 balls, courtesy of a sharp catch by Suryakumar Yadav. Pakistan was 26/1 in 4.4 overs. By the end of the powerplay, Pakistan had reached 35/1, with Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan at the crease.
Pakistan reached the halfway mark of their innings at 57/1, maintaining a steady but slow pace. However, their innings faltered when Axar Patel dismissed Usman Khan for 13, leaving Pakistan at 57/2 in 10.1 overs. Fakhar Zaman provided a brief spark with a four and a six, but fell to Hardik Pandya for 13 runs, reducing Pakistan to 73/3.
Bumrah’s return in the 15th over proved pivotal as he bowled Rizwan for 31, further denting Pakistan’s chase. With the score at 80/4, Pakistan needed 37 runs from the final five overs. Shadab Khan’s attempted slog resulted in a catch by Pant off Pandya, putting Pakistan at 88/5 in 16.3 overs.
As the pressure mounted, Bumrah delivered an exceptional 19th over, claiming Iftikhar Ahmed’s wicket and restricting Pakistan to 102/6, leaving them 18 runs to win in the final over. Arshdeep Singh held his nerve, dismissing Imad Wasim and ensuring Pakistan finished at 113/7, with Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi unbeaten.
Bumrah’s exceptional spell yielded three wickets for just 14 runs, earning him the man of the match. Pandya’s 2/24 and wickets from Axar and Arshdeep complemented Bumrah’s efforts.
Earlier, India struggled to a total of 119, with Pakistan’s Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf each taking three wickets. Despite the low total, India’s bowlers rose to the occasion, securing a memorable victory in a high-stakes encounter.
With this victory, India tops Group A, showcasing their resilience and tactical acumen, while Pakistan faces an uphill battle to keep their tournament hopes alive.
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