ICC T20 World Cup, 2024, June-6
In a nail-biting finish, India edged out Pakistan by 6 runs in today’s ICC T20 World Cup match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Chasing a modest target of 120 runs, Pakistan could only muster 113 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.
Pakistan’s innings got off to a shaky start. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 31 runs off 44 balls, hitting one six and one four. Captain Babar Azam contributed 13 runs from 10 balls, while Usman Khan and Fakhar Zaman managed 15 and 8 runs, respectively. Contributions from the lower order included Imad Wasim’s 15 runs and Naseem Shah’s 10 runs, but they fell short of the target. Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed could only add 4 and 5 runs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi was dismissed for a duck.
India’s bowlers put up a stellar performance, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, taking 3 wickets for just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Hardik Pandya picked up 2 wickets, and Arshdeep Singh and Akshar Patel chipped in with 1 wicket each.
Earlier, after losing the toss and being put in to bat, India struggled to find momentum and were bowled out for 119 runs in 19 overs. The Indian batting lineup failed to capitalize, with captain Rohit Sharma scoring 13 runs off 12 balls and star batsman Virat Kohli managing only 4 runs from 3 balls. Rishabh Pant was the standout performer with a crucial 42 runs off 31 balls, which included some aggressive strokes. Akshar Patel added 20 runs with the help of one six and two fours off 18 balls.
Other contributions from the Indian side included Suryakumar Yadav’s 7 runs, Shivam Dubey’s 3 runs, Hardik Pandya’s 7 runs, and Arshdeep Singh’s 9 runs. Both Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed without scoring.
Pakistan’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf each taking 3 wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Amir took 1 and 2 wickets, respectively, but their efforts were in vain as the team fell short in the chase.
This victory marks a significant win for India, setting the stage for more exciting contests in the tournament.
