After winning the rain-delayed toss, Pakistan captain Babar Azam chose to field first. However, the match was interrupted by showers after just one over, with India’s score at 8/0. Upon resumption, Pakistani pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi made early breakthroughs, dismissing India’s experienced openers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, reducing India to 19/2.
Axar Patel was then promoted up the order and partnered with Rishabh Pant for a 39-run stand until Naseem Shah bowled Patel in the eighth over. With India at 81/3 after ten overs, their recovery was thwarted as Pakistan’s bowlers struck back, decimating India’s middle and lower order.
India lost four wickets in three overs, including Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja. The tailenders could only add 23 more runs, and India was bowled out for 119 in 19 overs.
In contrast, Pakistan’s openers started briskly until Jasprit Bumrah found Babar Azam’s edge in the fifth over, claiming the first wicket. The pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan, from the Multan Sultans, navigated through the 35-run powerplay, bringing the score to 57 in ten overs before Axar Patel trapped Usman leg before wicket.
Subsequently, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah removed Fakhar Zaman and Rizwan, leaving Pakistan struggling at 83/4 after 15 overs. Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya tightened the screws, giving away only seven runs and taking a wicket in the next two overs, with Pakistan needing 30 from the final three overs.
Although Mohammed Siraj conceded nine runs in the 18th over, Bumrah outfoxed Iftikhar Ahmed and gave away just three runs, leaving Arshdeep Singh 18 to defend in the last over.
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The left-arm pacer allowed only two runs and took a wicket in his first three balls, but a four from Naseem Shah reduced the requirement to 12 runs off the final two balls. Arshdeep held his nerve, securing the victory for India, who now share the top spot with the USA at four points in Group A.
