The Indian team made cricket history by successfully defending their lowest total in T20 cricket and defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by a nerve-wracking margin of 6 runs in the T20 World Cup clash at the Nassau County Stadium in New York. With this victory, India are at the top of Group A with two convincing wins.
Fast-paced team Bumrah steals the show
Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling (3/14 in 4 overs) proved crucial for India, picking up important wickets at regular intervals and dismantling the Pakistani batting line-up. Rishabh Pant’s brave knock (31 runs) and impressive wicket-keeping skills, which included three catches, were also crucial to India’s triumph.
Earlier, India themselves were restricted to a paltry 119 runs after opting to bat first. Opening batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to capitalise and were dismissed cheaply. However, a combative knock from wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant (31 runs) brought some much-needed momentum to the Indian innings. Unfortunately, the middle order was weak and only Axar Patel (20 runs) offered some resistance. Pakistan’s Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf were the destroyers, taking three wickets each.
Pakistan’s determined hunt misses its target
Despite India’s modest total of 119 runs, Pakistan’s comeback never really got going. Captain Babar Azam’s early dismissal by Bumrah set them back and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals throughout the innings. Mohammad Rizwan (31) and Fakhar Zaman (13) offered some resistance but could not build viable partnerships. A late brilliance from Naseem Shah (10*) was not enough as Pakistan fell short of the target by just 6 runs.
This famous win not only strengthens India’s position in the tournament but also sets a new record. With a score of 119, India has now successfully defended the lowest total in their T20I history.
Here is a look at India’s lowest defence rate in T20Is:
- 120 against Pakistan, New York (2024) *
- 139 against Zimbabwe, Harare (2016)
- 145 against England, Nagpur (2017)
- 147 against Bangladesh, Bengaluru (2016)
This victory over Pakistan will undoubtedly go down as a classic encounter in the history of T20 cricket. India’s fighting spirit and masterful bowling under pressure proved decisive, while Pakistan will rue missed opportunities during the chase.
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