India take on Pakistan in the most highly-anticipated group match of the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York.
Pakistan were left reeling after a shock super-over defeat to the United States in Dallas on Thursday and will have to bounce back in one of the fiercest rivalries in sport.
Only two teams will qualify from Group A and India started their campaign with a dominant victory over Ireland, as they went into the tournament among the favourites, despite not having won a major international event since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
However, there have been serious questions raised about the playing surface on the pop-up stadium in Nassau County, with the ICC admitting the pitch is not up to standard and would be subject to ‘remedies’ before the flagship game.
Follow all the live action in the blog below.
India 24-2 (4 overs) – Axar 1; Pant 3
Pant runs three off the second ball but this is a ‘reset’ over for India as they try to stabilise things after the early wickets. Tidy stuff with the ball from Mohammad Amir
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:20
India 20-2 (3 overs) – Axar 0; Pant 0
Wow! Axar Patel is drafted up the order by Pakistan and he comes in at No 4, so we now have two left-handers at the crease. Just one wide and the wicket from that over, Super by Afridi.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:19
WICKET! Rohit Sharma c Haris Rauf b Shaheen Shah Afridi 13 (India 19-2, 2.4 overs)
And now Rohit is gone! Brilliant bowling by Afridi as he ramps up the pressure with three dot balls before a full, straight one sees Rohit swinging for the boundary but he doesn’t catch it all and Haris Rauf makes the catch at deep square leg.
Big wicket. What a start by Pakistan.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:17
India 19-1 (2 overs) – Rohit 13; Pant 0
Rishabh Pant the man in at No 3 and he gets off strike as a wide down the leg side allows them to run one before Rohit clips an overpitched ball for four. Good response to the wicket falling
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:14
WICKET! Virat Kohli c Usman Khan b Naseem Shah 4 (India 12-1, 1.3 overs)
A great start for Pakistan after the rain delay! Virat Kohli punches Naseem Shah’s first ball for four with a gorgeous cover drive but just two balls later he’s gone!
He slaps the ball straight to cover point where Usman Khan has snaffled it and India are 12-1!
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:12
India v Pakistan – rain delay
Rain has stopped, the players are out and we’re about to get back underway in New York! We should still get a full match in.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 17:01
India v Pakistan – rain delay
We only had six balls but what a six balls they were…
Luke Baker9 June 2024 16:47
RAIN STOPS PLAY! India 8-0 (1 over) – Rohit 8; Kohli 0
Uh oh, it’s drizzling again and the umpires wave the players off the field! The fun being spoilt once again. Hopefully it’s just a quick passing shower.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 16:27
India 8-0 (1 over) – Rohit 8; Kohli 0
Afridi steams in for the first ball of the match and Rohit flicks the ball to leg. The outfield is glacially slow and they take two. The fielder on the boundary caught out that the ball didn’t run to them.
Third ball of the match sees the first SIX – stunning timing, Rohit flicks it off his legs, in front of square and the ball flies into the stands! One flick of the wrists was all it took.
Afridi responds well with a couple of dot balls and then a big appeal for lbw off the final ball but Pakistan choose not to review. Eight from the over.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 16:25
India v Pakistan
Overcast conditions and a pitch that has proven to be tough to score on suggests this could be a battle of the bowlers.
Shaheen Afridi will bowl the first over for Pakistan, with Rohit Sharma to face and Virat Kohli at the non-striker’s end.
Luke Baker9 June 2024 16:21