In a high-stakes match at Nassau Cricket Stadium in New York, Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first against their traditional rivals, India. This was a crucial game for Babar Azam’s team, which needed a win to stay in contention for the Super 8s.
India struggled initially, with openers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli falling cheaply to the impressive bowling of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. The Indian batting lineup faced significant pressure, but Rishabh Pant’s resilient 42 runs off 31 balls helped stabilize the innings. Axar Patel contributed a vital 20 runs, pushing India past the 100-run mark.
India was ultimately bowled out for 119, marking the first time Pakistan had dismissed the entire Indian team in a T20 match. Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi delivered a superb collective bowling performance. Naseem Shah ended with figures of 3-21 from his 4 overs, while Haris Rauf took 3 wickets for 25 runs in his 3 overs.
Chasing 120, Pakistan’s innings was anchored by Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 31 off 44 balls. However, he received little support from his teammates. Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional spell of 3-14 in 4 overs, along with Hardik Pandya’s 2 wickets, helped India secure a narrow 6-run victory over Pakistan.
This victory earned India two crucial points in Group A, placing them at the top of the points table and leaving Pakistan reliant on other results to advance to the Super 8s.
Group A Points Table:
| Team | M | W | L | N/R | PT | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1.455 |
| USA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1.451 |
| Canada | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -0.274 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.150 |
| Ireland | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -1.712 |
India’s victory over Pakistan not only bolstered their position but also complicated Pakistan’s path forward, making the upcoming matches in Group A even more critical.
