India Put Hex On Pakistan Again In T20 Cricket World Cup

India beat Pakistan by six runs in the most anticipated match at the T20 Cricket World Cup on a rain-affected day in New York. After losing 14 of the previous 15 white-ball games against their fiercest rivals, Pakistan looked favorites to finally get over the line until India arrested the scoring in the last seven overs in a low-scoring game. The Green Shirts’ chances of reaching the Super 8s are now minimal.

Both sets of fans were happy to sing in the rain when the game was interrupted for the first hour and a half before it passed over. The match was played in the temporary purpose-built $30 million Nassau County International Stadium in East Meadow, packed in a sea of Pakistan and Indian color. The pitch had been flown in from Australia but the weather came from a wet morning in England.

At the same time across the Atlantic, the New York Mets were busy producing a great comeback win over rivals the Philadelphia Phillies to draw MLB’s two-game London Series drawing in 53,000 fans. New York was calling the shots with cricket in the Mets’ absence in front of a 34,000 full house. Cricket royalty including Christ Gayle and Sachin Tendulkar looked on as America embraced a different type of white-ball game.

When Rohit Sharma opened proceedings with a beautiful pick-up over deep square leg for a maximum, it seemed that India were in the mood to further depress a Pakistan team that had lost to the United States just days earlier. Sharma’s six registered 122 decibels on the roar factor as the match replicated the atmosphere of the IPL.

This loss will sting even more as Babar Azam’s team played good cricket for the majority of the match but failed to chase down a target of six runs an over. Somehow, certainty leaves the building when things get tight and Pakistan paid the ultimate price.

When the weather finally relented ,Virat Kohli continued his poor tournament by slapping a wide ball to Usman, registering his second single-figure score. Rohit departed for 13 soon after trying to replicate the flick into the crowd. Pakistan were delighted as Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi mastered the conditions on a pitch that wasn’t easy for the batsmen. Rishabh Pant made 42 with some typical creative 360-degree shot making but he was dropped three times and it was difficult to hit through the ball.

Ravi Jadeja jabbed a catch first ball with a delivery that stopped in the pitch. At one point Mohammad Amir, who suffered a nightmare super over against the States, was on a hat-trick. India were eventually dismissed for 119, leaving one full over out there. “We didn’t bat well enough. We were 15 runs short,” admitted the Indian captain. It was the bowling unit and the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah that saved the Men in Blue.

The score didn’t seem anywhere near enough when Pakistan kept their composure and wickets in hand to reach 57 for just the loss of skipper Babar at the halfway stage. Then the tide turned as the scoring rates clogged up with the introduction of Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya who took two wickets. When Bumrah shattered Mohammad Rizwan’s stumps for 31, Pakistan had fallen to 80 for 4, still needing 40 off six overs.

Normally, that would be straightforward on less stodgy pitches but the conditions and nerves began to kick in as that muscle memory of past losses to India caused jitters. Boundaries completely dried up with the dismissal of Fakhar Zaman as the run-rate crept up to ten an over for the last 12 deliveries. When things start to go west for Pakistan there is a sense of inevitability that they will find a way to lose. Iftikhar perished in the deep from Bumrah’s last ball of the 19^th over to leave 18 needed from the last six balls.

It was always going to be too much despite some brave hitting by Naseem. He didn’t deserve to be on the losing side after taking three for 21 but the facts remain that India still have a total hold over their biggest sporting foe.

The win ensured India moved top of Group A and are almost certain to qualify for the last eight. Their next match is here on Wednesday against a confident U.S. team who also have maximum points after two matches. New York’s decibel counter could reverberate across the cricket world if Aaron Jones can swing the hosts to victory one more time.