In a high-octane clash at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, India registered a narrow victory over arch-rivals Pakistan by six runs at the Nassau County Cricket Ground in New York on Sunday (June 9). A stellar bowling performance by Jasprit Bumrah and a vital knock from Rishabh Pant were instrumental in India’s win, placing them at the top of Group A with two wins from two matches.
Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah meet NBA legend John Starks
Before the much-anticipated match, Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Bumrah had the honor of meeting legendary NBA player John Starks. This meeting took place at the Nassau County Ground, adding a unique prelude to the high-stakes game. The encounter was facilitated by former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who introduced Starks to the cricketers.
In a video released by the NBA on X, Kohli and Yuvraj can be seen warmly welcoming Starks. The post was captioned, “@imVkohli and @YUVSTRONG12 welcome John Starks to the @T20WorldCup!”
Yuvraj introduced Kohli as the ‘Gold’ of India, to which Kohli responded humbly, addressing Starks as ‘Sir’ and inquiring about his well-being. This interaction highlighted the mutual respect between the athletes from different sports, underscoring the global appeal and camaraderie that sports foster. Later on NBA further released the video of meeting of Bumrah with the Starks.
Here’s the video:
.@YUVSTRONG12 introduces John Starks (@StarksTheDunk) to @Jaspritbumrah93 ahead of India vs. Pakistan at the @T20WorldCup! https://t.co/GQMBWqKQ5M pic.twitter.com/1acy1KYbAK
— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2024
.@imVkohli and @YUVSTRONG12 welcome John Starks to the @T20WorldCup! https://t.co/06TPnTmR7H pic.twitter.com/gYERkRdsaf
— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2024
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Toss and early struggles for India
In the match, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field, a decision influenced by the weather and pitch conditions. The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes due to rain, creating a challenging environment for the players. India’s innings got off to a shaky start as both openers, Kohli and Rohit Sharma, were dismissed cheaply. Kohli fell for just 4 runs, misjudging a delivery from Naseem Shah, while Rohit managed 13 runs before being caught off the bowling of Shaheen Afridi.
Rishabh Pant’s crucial knock
Despite the early setbacks, Rishabh Pant played a crucial innings, displaying remarkable resilience and skill on a difficult pitch. Pant’s partnerships with Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav were vital in stabilizing India’s innings. However, the lower middle order could not withstand the pressure, leading to a collapse that saw India being restricted to 119 runs in 19 overs. Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Haris Rauf and Shah, were impressive, with Mohammad Amir and Shaheen also contributing crucial wickets.
India’s bowling prowess against Pakistan
In response, Pakistan adopted a cautious approach, with Mohammad Rizwan anchoring the innings. Nevertheless, the Indian bowlers, led by Bumrah and supported by Hardik Pandya, maintained consistent pressure. Bumrah’s spell was particularly decisive, as he claimed crucial wickets, including those of Babar and Fakhar Zaman. Pandya’s contributions further dented Pakistan’s chase, leading to a tense final over where Pakistan needed 18 runs to win.
Arshdeep Singh bowled the final over, holding his nerve against a determined Naseem. Despite Naseem’s efforts, Pakistan fell short by six runs, handing India a thrilling victory. Bumrah was rightfully awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ for his exceptional bowling performance, which played a pivotal role in India’s defense of a modest total.
Also READ: Twitter goes wild as Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah lead India to a nail-biting win over Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2024
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