NEW DELHI: Opener Ishan Kishan blasted a supersonic half century to help India master a sticky pitch and post a competitive 175 for seven against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup clash on Sunday.
Kishan made 77 off 40 balls and stitched an 87-run partnership with Tilak Varma, whose contribution was 11, after India were put in to bat first.
Innings Break!
Ishan Kishan’s half-century and contribution from the middle order help #TeamIndia finish with 1️⃣7️⃣5️⃣
Time for the bowlers now!
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The contest, which had built up over weeks drama with sport and politics intersecting, began on an unusual note as Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha opened the bowling with his off spin and removed Abhishek Sharma.
The off spin continued through Saim Ayub in the power play and it delivered early rewards.
Abhishek attempted to loft Agha but failed to clear Shaheen Shah Afridi at the edge of the circle off the final ball of the first over.
Premadasa turns into Kishan kingdom
For the next 7.4 overs, Kishan transformed the R. Premadasa Stadium into his personal arena as boundaries flowed to all parts of the ground.
It almost felt as though he was batting on a different strip altogether.
The left hander began with a fierce pull off Afridi that crashed into the advertising boards beyond mid-wicket.
That was only the beginning. The Jharkhand batsman soon dismantled Pakistan’s spin attack.
Agha and Ayub were each struck for a boundary while leg spinner Abrar Ahmed was hammered for a six and a four off successive balls.
The boundary was especially eye catching. Despite the sluggish surface, Kishan used supple wrists to guide a powerful late cut that raced to the third man fence.
Later, leg spinner Shadab Khan was also launched for a six as Kishan reached his fifty in just 27 balls, remarkable given the testing conditions and a seasoned opposition familiar with these pitches.
Tilak did not exactly struggle but never looked fully fluent either as Kishan assumed the responsibility of accelerating the innings.
Pakistan fight back late
Kishan’s attempt to create room and lift Ayub over mid-wicket, however, proved costly. He missed the ball completely and lost his stumps, prompting visible relief among the Pakistan players.
From that point, Pakistan chipped away steadily with Ayub leading the resurgence.
The off spinner dismissed Tilak for 25 and Hardik Pandya for a duck off successive deliveries as India slipped from 126 for two to 126 for four in the 15th over.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav made 32 off 28 balls while Shivam Dube added 27 off 17. Though neither fully cut loose, their 33 run stand carried India beyond 150 and to a total that will demand a strong chase.
Dube also managed a couple of boundaries off mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was introduced only in the 11th over.
Tariq struck back by removing Suryakumar in the 19th over.
But a 15-run final over from Afridi, in which Dube and Rinku Singh attacked freely, lifted India into the 170 bracket and ensured a challenging target on a demanding surface.
(With PTI Inputs)
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