ICC T20 World Cup 2022
India VS Pakistan Played at MCG Melbourne on 23 October 2022
India 160/ 6 in 20 Overs (Virat Kohli 82*, Hardik Pandya 40, Suryakumar Yadav 16, Harris Rauf 2/36, Mohammad Nawaz 2/42)
Pakistan 159/8 in 20 overs (Shan Masud 52*, Iftikhar Ahmed 51,Shaheen Shah Afridi 16, Hardik Pandya 3/30, Arshdeep Singh 3/32)
India won by 4 wickets
Player of the match: Virat Kohli
In a never to be forgotten match pulsating like pendulum at cricket coliseum MCG full to the brim King Kohli playing his wonderful brand of adoring cricket won for India the most demanding match against arch rival Pakistan yesterday.
It was master class unbeaten 82 of 58 balls scored for 4 breathtaking sixes and 5 gorgeous fours he rescued India from the jaw of certain defeat to a glorious last ball win. Batting first Pakistan put up a fighting target of 160 despite of early loss of the formidable twos Babar Azam (0) and Mohammad Rizwan (4).
India requiring 28 runs for the win did it in a grand fashion in the bizarre last over bowled by Mohammad Nawaz. 100,000 adoring cricket admirers cheering full throat enjoyed to their hearts content once in a lifetime match which words can hardly describe. India won the photo finish by 4 wickets on the last ball scoring 160/6. It was a great win in the group of death, which put India in a comfortable position.
India Pakistan does not appear in bilateral matches for a while for reasons other than cricket. Their rivalry always makes match in global tournament an epic event. The match was sold out in no time as soon as sale of tickets was announced. Billions across the sporting world witnessed the match in electronic and social media. So match was talked about Shaheen Shah Afridi excelling against Indian top order.
Two contemporary great Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan doing their wonders. Nothing of that happened yesterday yet the blockbuster match produced mouth-watering contest.
Rohit winning the all-important toss put Pakistan to bat first. Lesser-known Indian youngster Arshdeep Singh striking two deadly blows pegged Pakistan back early on. He swung the ball prodigiously. Babar went for a golden duck trapped in front while Rizwan miscued a pull skying to Kumar in the deep fine leg scoring 4. Pakistan was tottering at 2/15 by the 4th over. However, two less famed batsmen Iftikar Ahmed (51) and Shan Masud (52*) stemmed the tide scoring patient but effective 76 in the third wicket. Iftikar blasting 21 in the lone over of Axar Patel blew him out of the attack.
Shan held the innings together while Shaheen Afridi contributed with the bat with quick fire 16 in 8 balls. Pakistan reached a very competitive 159/8. Many thought it to be a very useful especially considering that otherwise prolific Babar and Rizwan made no contributions. Hardik Pandya (3/30) and Arshdeep (3/32) were the main tormentors.
India chase almost followed the Pakistan pattern. Though Shaheen appeared a bit out of short Harris and Nasim bowled brilliantly. Rahul, Rohit and Yadav were blown away. Axar sent in as pinch hitter also got himself run out.
At 31/4 India was reeling. However, one and only Virat Kohli survived and with him was enterprising Hardik Pandya. This pair gradually blossomed. Pakistani bowlers did nothing wrong till the 19th over when equation was heavily in favor of them. Rauf the best Pakistani bowler of the day came to bowl the penultimate over. Kohli was at the strike. India required 28 of the last 8 deliveries.
Kohli blasted the last two balls for massive sixes producing some superlative strokes, which only was played by 360 degree blasters AB de Villiers before. India was within 16 runs of the historic win. In came left arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz for the final over. He had the wicket of Hardik with his first ball.
Fifth wicket partnership produced 113. India still required 16 off the last 5 balls. In came Dinesh Kartik. Tensed Nawaz bowled a no ball and followed it up with a wide. He had struck Kohli’s stumps in the free hit but in the tense moment it went for 3 byes.
The score stood level by the 5th ball of the over when Kartik was stumped. India won the thriller.
Kohli played arguably his best T20 innings given the magnitude of the event rescuing the team from the jaws of certain defeat to an epic win. It was great watching one of the greatest players ever gracing the game back into golden touch. Congratulations India, poor luck Pakistan. Few may dispute about legitimacy of the no ball (marginal call) or three byes of the free hit after Kohli’s furniture was disturbed. We found nothing wrong in the book.
Can these two meet at MCG again in the final? Sky will break at MCG if that happens.
BDST: 1028 HRS, OCT 24, 2022
MN
