Introduction
India pulled off an improbable win against their arch enemy Pakistan in their opening game of the World Cup. Needing 16 to win off the final over, India reached their target off the final ball in a match of high drama, in which Virat Kohli was their hero with an unbeaten 82. Pakistan will be left ruing their inability to cope with the pressure as the match reached an incredible finale.
In was in keeping with the occasion, one of the highlights of the opening weekend of the World Cup.
Match recap
India won the toss and decided to field first, and son made inroads, dismissing both Pakistan openers cheaply. A stand of 76 for the third wicket between Shan Masood (playing despite injury concerns) and Iftikhar Ahmed helped rebuild the Pakistan innings, but at 120/7 they were at risk of being bowled out. However, Masood and Shaheen Afridi added 31 more for the 8th wicket and a final score of 159/8 seemed a competitive one.
Certainly when India were reduced to 31/4 in the 7th over it looked like it would be more than enough. Virat Kohli helped restore India’s fortunes, sharing an impressive stand of 1322 with Hardik Pandya.
But with 16 to win off the last over, and with 13 still needed off the last three balls, Pakistan had the win in the bag. How they contrived to lose it from there will leave them desperately frustrated and it may be a loss that could prove very costly for them in the end.
Kohli rescues his country
Not for the first – and probably not the last time – it was Virat Kohli who helped rescue his country.
He came to the crease after the early loss of KL Rahul and India were soon 31/4, facing an uphill struggle, with Kohli joined at the crease by Hardik Pandya. The pair combined to put on 113 for the fifth wicket, and, although they were always below the required asking rate, they never completely lost touch with it.
And, whilst many lost their heads in the final over, he was one man on the field who remained calm, and his 82 not out, which included 4 sixes and 4 fours, proved to be a match winning one for his side.
He has since been widely praised by fans, commentators and current and former players alike.
Nawaz will have nightmares
Spinner Mohammad Nawaz was chosen by Pakistan to bowl the final over, but he will have nightmares as to what then happened for years to come.
With India still needing 16 to win, but with the Virat Kohli Hardik Pandya worth 113 at that stage, he seemed to have struck the decisive blow when he had Pandya caught for 40 off the first ball.
With three balls left, Kohli smashed him for six, but to make matters worse, it was deemed a no ball.
Nawaz then bowled a wide and then bowled Kohli, but because it was deemed a free hit, a deflection off the stumps enabled India to scramble three.
It appeared Nawaz had redeemed himself when he had Dinesh Karthik stumped but the pressure told on the bowler again and he produced another wide to Ravichandran Ashwin. That left Ashwin needing one to win off the final ball, and he struck the ball over mid-on to start the Indian celebrations.
Nawaz will have nightmares
Spinner Mohammad Nawaz was chosen by Pakistan to bowl the final over, but he will have nightmares as to what then happened for years to come.
With India still needing 16 to win, but with the Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya worth 113 at that stage, he seemed to have struck the decisive blow when he had Pandya caught for 40 off the first ball.
With three balls left, Kohli smashed him for six, but to make matters worse, it was deemed a no ball.
Nawaz then bowled a wide and then bowled Kohli, but because it was deemed a free hit, a deflection off the stumps enabled India to scramble three.
It appeared Nawaz had redeemed himself when he had Dinesh Karthik stumped but the pressure told on the bowler again and he produced another wide to Ravichandran Ashwin. That left Ashwin needing one to win off the final ball, and he struck the ball over mid-on to start the Indian celebrations.
What happens next
India will next travel to Sydney to play the Netherlands, who finished second behind Sri Lanka in the group phase of the competition, on October 27th. Later that day, Pakistan will face Zimbabwe in Perth.
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