T20 World Cup: Pakistan breaks jinx, beat India by 10 wickets
Dubai, Oct 24 (UNI) Pakistan finally broke the jinx of beating India in the ICC World Cup. The Green Caps beat Men in Blue by 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup’s Super 12 encounter here.
Pakistan first bowled well and then batted magnificently to chase down 152 runs target set by India, after the Virat Kohli led side were restricted to 151 for 7.
This was Pakistan’s first win in any ICC T20 World Cup against their neighbour. Previously, they were trounced by India in five consecutive matches before they pulled off the sixth in Dubai.
India had defeated Pakistan in 2016, 2014, 2012 and twice in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
Pakistan openers hogged the limelight by their imperious batting display, taking the Indian bowlers out of the park by taking calculated risks.
Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 79 off 55 balls with six boundaries and three sixes, while skipper Babar Azam made an unconquered 68 off 52 balls, a knock that was decorated with six boundaries and two sixes.
Both the openers led a strong reply in the 152-run chase. They smacked crisp boundaries and big ones to lay the platform for the final swot.
However, Azam and Rizwan played pretty sensibly and did not take risks against spinner Varun Chakravarthy and left-arm bowler Ravindra Jadeja early on.
The openers were happy rotating the strike against them. But, when they saw the target within their range, both unleashed an array of shots off Indian spinners.
Pakistan were 43 for no loss after six overs and it was the fourth time that they did not lose any wicket in the Powerplay this year, and saw them pulling off three matches out of the four.
The Indian bowlers were completely at sea. Mohammad Shami was the most expensive bowler as he conceded 11.20 runs per over. His spent 43 runs in 3.5 overs while Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless in three overs he bowled.
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar looked pale. He conceded 25 runs in three overs as he failed to get his swing going, which has been his arsenal all these years.
Chakravarthy and Jadeja subdued the Pakistan openers in their early overs, but could not silence them when they saw the chase within their range and began to bludgeon the spinners at the end.
Earlier, Indian captain Virat Kohli scored a brilliant half-century to push India to 151 for 7.
UNI