Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
18 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK: 114/10 (62 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.33, RRR: 31.00)

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi23 (19b)
  • Hardik Pandya3-1-16-2
  • Rinku Singh1-0-9-0

10:35pm India march into the Super Eight and do so courtesy another clinical performance. Pakistan still have some work to do to qualify, and they will now have to beat Namibia in their last game. Lots to come before it, though, with another triple-header lined up tomorrow. Until then, from Chandan, Raghav and myself (Shashwat), it is goodbye!

Suryakumar Yadav, India captain: This is for India. We played the same brand of cricket we wanted to play. The way Ishan batted, he batted the same way (he has been batting in the last few games and domestic cricket). Ishan thought something out of the box. At 0-1, someone needed to take responsibility and he did that amazingly. There was a bit of a slump but that is the beauty of t20 cricket. The way they (Tilak, Dube and Rinku) batted, it is commendable. (On what he felt was par) Difficult to tell when batting first. As soon as we reached 175, we thought it was 15-20 runs over par. 155, it would have been a very tight game. Hardik took the new ball, taking charge. Bumrah then showed why he is the best in the world. It was great to see everyone contributing. (On how they intend to keep this run going) We think about that tomorrow. We go back, have some good time together as a team (tonight) and think about that when we reach Ahmedabad.

Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan captain: We went with four spinners, they had an off-day. Execution was missing in some parts. With the bat, we did not start well. If you lose 3-4 wickets in the powerplay, you are always chasing the game. In the first innings, it was a bit tacky and the ball was gripping too. The pitch played better in the second innings but we did not bowl according to the situation and we did not apply ourselves with the bat. In these games, the emotions are always going to be high, we just need to deal with it. We have played enough (of these games), we have a game in a couple of days and we have to look forward to it. We need to win that and qualify. Then it is a new tournament.

Ishan Kishan, Player of the Match: The wicket was not that easy. Sometimes, you just have to believe and focus on your strengths. Was just watching the ball, sticking to my strengths and making them run as much as possible. I did work a lot on my off-side game, so then I can have them bowl where I want them to bowl. On a big ground, you get bigger gaps. Trying to hit the gaps, trying to take two runs. Knew we had to put up a total like 160-170, which would be a good total for us. India-Pakistan, always a special game, not just for us but our country as well. They had pretty good spinners in their side. Winning this against Pakistan, it will give us confidence going forward. (On Bumrah and Hardik) They bowled tremendously well. Pace bowlers, when I was batting, did not feel like it was doing much for pacers. We know how Jassi can bowl, whether with the new ball or at the death. Credit goes to Hardik for bowling in tight areas and for executing his plans.

10:17pm At the half-way stage, it felt Pakistan had their work cut out. And by the time the powerplay ended, the game was probably beyond them. India rocked them early, with Pakistan lending the defending champions a helping hand with their shot selection. Usman impressed during his vigil but that was about it for Pakistan.

As for India, they will be pleased with their bowling outing. Bumrah and Hardik set the tone, before Axar bagged Babar. He returned to remove Usman soon, and once those wickets had fallen, an Indian victory seemed a matter of when, rather than if. A shoutout to Kuldeep too, who was playing his first game this World Cup but rarely missed a beat.

17.6
W
Pandya to Usman Tariq, OUT, middle stump pegged back, and India's unbeaten streak goes on! Pakistan brushed aside with minimal fuss, and this has been a comprehensive win! Back of a length, zoning into middle stump. Tariq backs away and then makes a feeble attempt at a back-foot punch. The ball breezes past the outside edge and then rattles into the stumps. A fitting end to a commanding display, and Pakistan simply had no answers to India's bowling incision!

Usman Tariq b Pandya 0 (10m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

17.5
1
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, 1 run, dug into the track on off. Shaheen opens up his stance and hoicks it towards deep mid wicket
17.4
0
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, no run, full toss just outside leg. Shaheen drills it to long on and he denies the single too
17.3
0
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, no run, short and slanting across the batter outside off. Shaheen swings himself off his feet but still does not make contact
17.2
6
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, SIX, Kuldeep drops a catch now! Banged half-way down and the ball sits up. Shaheen gives himself lots of room and smears it towards wide long on, where Kuldeep tries to take it near his left shoulder and ends up parrying it over the fence!
17.1
0
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, no run, shortish and down leg. Shaheen, having backed away, swings like a rusty gate. Seems like the ball has grazed the bat or the glove, but Kishan shells it!

My colleague Dustin says, "Tilak and Rinku bowling... my prediction for the next over: SKY to bowl with Tariq's action."

17.1
1w
Pandya to Shaheen Shah Afridi, 1 wide, short ball, attempting to follow the batter outside leg. Too short, though, and Shaheen ducks under it. Gets the wide too

70 off 18. Hardik back on

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | PAK: 106/9 (70 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.23, RRR: 23.33)

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi16 (14b)
  • Usman Tariq0 (2b)
  • Rinku Singh1-0-9-0
  • Varun Chakravarthy3-0-17-2
16.6
1
Singh to Shaheen Shah Afridi, 1 run, fired in full outside off. Shaheen gives himself a bit of room before hacking it down to long on
16.5
0
Singh to Shaheen Shah Afridi, no run, back of a length outside off. Shaheen winds up and drags it towards long on
16.4
0
Singh to Shaheen Shah Afridi, no run, floated up fuller outside off. Shaheen backs away and swings at it with all his might. Only connects with the fresh Colombo air
16.3
4
Singh to Shaheen Shah Afridi, FOUR, four more! Fullish on middle and off. Shaheen gets down on one knee and hoicks it past short fine leg!

Pakistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0Sahibzada FarhanSaim Ayub
2nd6Salman AghaSaim Ayub
3rd7Babar AzamSalman Agha
4th21Babar AzamUsman Khan
5th39Shadab KhanUsman Khan
6th5Mohammad Nawaz (3)Shadab Khan
7th0Faheem AshrafShadab Khan
8th19Faheem AshrafShaheen Shah Afridi
9th0Abrar AhmedShaheen Shah Afridi
10th17Shaheen Shah AfridiUsman Tariq

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Super Eights, Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA33062.259
IND32140.106
WI31220.993
ZIM3030-3.415
Super Eights, Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
ENG33061.096
NZ31131.39
PAK3113-0.123
SL3030-1.95
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND44082.5
PAK43160.976
USA42240.788
NED4132-1.217
NAM4040-3.108
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
ZIM43071.506
SL43161.741
AUS42241.523
IRE41230.15
OMA4040-4.845
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI44081.874
ENG43160.201
SCOT41320.184
ITA4132-1.02
NEP4132-1.349
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA44081.943
NZ43161.227
AFG42240.889
UAE4132-1.364
CAN4040-2.426