A thriller to the T. An exhibition of experience, resilience and mentality. Furthermore, a testament to quality cricket - that is the underlying sentiment of India’s odds-defying six-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan at the T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday, June 9, in New York. 

Rain entered early, but the excitement didn’t die out. Pakistan won the toss, bowled first and bowled India for 119. Rishabh Pant (42) and Axar Patel (20) helped the Men in Blue stand up to the cause with the bat against the likes of Naseem Shah (3/21), Haris Rauf (3/21) and Mohammad Amir (2/23).

What came next? Well, in short, it was a Jasprit Bumrah special (3/14) alongside Hardik Pandya (2/24) as India held their nerves to defend 119 runs and turn the tables of the win probability in style.

We briefly sum up the entire #INDvPAK spectacle.

A scratchy powerplay ft. rain

There was a rain check, not once but twice. And later on, the Men in Blue were reduced to 19/2 in 2.4 overs. But enter the left-handed pairing of Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel and the scoring picked up momentum. The score read 50/2 after six overs.

Pant to the rescue

The pitch was tricky and unsettling, but Rishabh Pant showed confidence and maturity at the crease. His measured knock of ​​42 from 31 balls would set the tone for India to register a team total of 119.

Pak’s patient start riddled by Bumrah

Coming out to bat, Pakistan started the low-scoring chase with 57 runs in the opening 10 overs. Mohammad Rizwan provided the early push with his partnerships of 26 and 31 with Babar Azam and Usman Khan, but the breakthrough by Bumrah in the fifth over saw the seeds of an inevitable fightback sown.

HP, Axar and the odds-bending shift

At the end of 12 overs, Pakistan were at 72/2, and the win predictor projected an 8% winning chance for India. But as the saying goes - “Where there is unity there is always victory” - the Men in Blue’s fighting spirit continued to rise. And it began with Hardik Pandya’s wicket of Fakhar Zaman.

Jasprit ‘Brilliant’ Bumrah and the art of miracles

BOOM BOOM’s third over was indeed the game-changing event. The gate-crashing wicket of Mohammad Rizwan, the thumping celebration of Bumrah and the 30,000-plus people raging in exhilaration turned the tide of the contest in India’s favour.

Since then, this is how India would go on to win the game from the start of the 15th over:

Mohammad Rizwan OUT.

*PAK score: 83/4 (at the end of 15 overs) and required 37 runs in the next 30 balls.

Shadab Khan OUT.

*PAK score: 90/5 (at the end of 17 overs) and required 30 runs in the next 18 balls.

Iftikhar Ahmed OUT.

*PAK score: 102/6 (at the end of 19 overs) and required 18 runs in the next 6 balls.

Imad Wasim OUT.

*PAK score: 102/7 (19.1 overs) and required 18 runs in 5 balls.

In the end, India had the final say and the headlines - India successfully defended the joint-lowest target at the T20 World Cup.

From here on, it’s onwards and upwards for the Men in Blue as they will return to the field in three days’ time against hosts USA. Until then, we shall soak in this special victory and this special performance.

Brief scores: India 119 (Rishabh Pant 42; Naseem Shah 3/21, Haris Rauf 3/21) BEAT Pakistan 113 for 7 (Mohammad Rizwan 31; Jasprit Bumrah 3/14, Hardik Pandya 2/24) by 6 runs.