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India get the better of Pakistan in low-scoring clash at T20 World Cup

Jasprit Bumrah’s three wickets and 15 dot balls vital in tight affair in New York

India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after dismissing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan during the Twenty20 World Cup match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP via Getty Images
Sun Jun 09 2024 - 21:25

T20 World Cup: India 119 (19 ovs) (R Pant 42, A Patel 20; N Shah 3-21, H Rauf 3-21, M Amir 2-23) beat Pakistan 113-7 (20 ovs) (M Rizwan 31; J Bumrah 3-14, H Pandya 2-24) by 6 runs

India beat Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring but tense T20 World Cup Group A encounter on Sunday at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York where more than 34,000 fans were in attendance at the temporary arena despite the early rain.

The result moved India to the top of Group A with two wins from their opening two matches while Pakistan have zero points from two defeats following their upset by the hosts, the United States.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first on a two-paced pitch where rain interruptions made things difficult for India who struggled to get going and were dismissed for 119.

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In response, Mohammad Rizwan laid the platform for the chase with a patient knock of 31 but Pakistan fell short after losing wickets at regular intervals while India’s Jasprit Bumrah (three for 14) made crucial breakthroughs and bowled 15 dot balls.

“We felt that we were a little under par and when the sun came out, the wicket did get a little better,” player of the match Bumrah said.

“So we had to be really disciplined with what we were trying to do and we are very happy with the win.”

Chasing a run-a-ball 120 to win, Pakistan lost skipper Babar Azam (13) when he edged Bumrah to the slips while Usman Khan and Fakhar Zaman also fell for 13.

But Rizwan, who was dropped in the third over by Shivam Dube near the boundary, made a patient knock of 31 before Bumrah made another crucial breakthrough when he had the opener bowled.

The game suddenly turned India’s way when Rishabh Pant took a second running catch to dismiss Shadab Khan as Pakistan’s required run rate crept up and left them needing 21 runs off the last two overs.

Bumrah was saved for the penultimate over where the pace spearhead conceded only three runs and finished his spell with his third wicket when Iftikhar Ahmed was caught in the deep.

Naseem Shah smashed two boundaries in the final over but Arshdeep Singh ensured there were no fireworks at the end as India held on for a narrow win.