A stellar bowling performance by Jasprit Bumrah and a crucial knock by Rishabh Pant were key as India triumphed over Pakistan by six runs in their ICC T20 World Cup encounter at Nassau County Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Bumrah expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It feels really good. We felt we were a little under, and the wicket got a little better after the sun came out. We were really disciplined, so it felt good. I tried to hit the seam as much as I could and be as clear as possible with my execution. It all came out well, so I felt happy.”
Bumrah also appreciated the large, enthusiastic crowd that showed up to support the Men in Blue.
“Felt like we were playing in India, really happy with the support and that gives us energy on the field. We focus on the now. We have played two games and played really well. You stick to your processes and look to play well,” he concluded.
With this thrilling victory, India topped Group A with two wins in two games, amassing four points. Pakistan, on the other hand, sit in fourth place after losing both their matches to the USA and India, making their chances of reaching the knockout stage slim.
In the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Indian batting lineup struggled on the challenging surface, as star openers Virat Kohli (4) and Rohit Sharma (13) failed to make significant contributions. Rishabh Pant (42 off 31 balls, with six fours) appeared to be batting on a different pitch and formed useful partnerships with Axar Patel (20 off 18 balls, with two fours and a six) and Surya Kumar Yadav (7 off 8 balls, with a four). However, the lower middle order faltered under the pressure, and India managed only 119 runs in 19 overs.
Haris Rauf (3/21) and Naseem Shah (3/21) were the standout bowlers for Pakistan, while Mohammad Amir claimed two wickets and Shaheen Shah Afridi took one.
During the run chase, Pakistan adopted a cautious approach with Mohammad Rizwan (31 off 44 balls, with a four and a six) anchoring one end. Nevertheless, Jasprit Bumrah (3/14) and Hardik Pandya (2/24) delivered crucial blows by dismissing skipper Babar Azam (13), Fakhar Zaman (13), Shadab Khan (4), and Iftikhar Ahmed (5), maintaining pressure on Pakistan. With 18 runs needed in the final over, Naseem Shah (10*) tried to steer Pakistan to victory, but Arshdeep Singh (1/31) ensured India held on for a six-run win.
Bumrah was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning spell.
(With ANI inputs)
