NEW DELHI: Ishan Kishan blended brute power with fine touch to smash a sparkling fifty before Jasprit Bumrah ripped through Pakistan’s top order with his lethal right arm, guiding India to a commanding 61 run win and a Super Eight berth in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Kishan’s electrifying 77 off 40 balls on a sticky R. Premadasa Stadium surface proved invaluable, lifting India to 175 for seven after they were asked to bat first. Given the demanding conditions, it stood out as one of the most impressive T20I knocks by an Indian batsman.
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Bumrah and Pandya dismantle Pakistan
Pakistan required a solid Power Play to chase 176 on this pitch. Instead, Bumrah (2/17) and Hardik Pandya (2/16) removed big hitters Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan were bundled out for 114, turning the much awaited clash into a one sided affair. India now lead 8-1 in T20 World Cup meetings between the sides.
Pandya ignited the chaos in the very first over, as his sharp delivery climbed on Farhan who could only sky it to Rinku Singh.
Then came Bumrah. The premier pacer struck immediately, unleashing a vicious inswinging yorker that trapped Ayub in front.
Agha fared no better, miscuing a back of length ball to Pandya at mid wicket.
Pakistan slumped to 13 for three and soon 34 for four after Babar Azam saw his stumps disturbed by a wild slog sweep off Axar Patel.
Their Power Play yielded just 38 for four compared to India’s 52 for one, and the gap only widened thereafter.
Pakistan lacked both composure and execution as they continued to falter against the Indian spine quartet of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar, Tilak Varma and Varun Chakravarthy.
Early twists and Kishan dominance
Earlier, Kishan had shared an 87 run stand with Tilak for the second wicket, though the latter contributed just 11.
The contest, which had built up over weeks dramatically due to the blend of sport and politics, began unusually as Agha opened the bowling with off spin and dismissed Abhishek Sharma.
Ayub (3/25) continued with off spin in the Power Play and struck early success.
Abhishek attempted to loft Agha but failed to clear Shaheen Shah Afridi at the edge of the circle.
For the next 7.4 overs, however, Kishan turned the Premadasa into his personal stage, striking boundaries to all parts.
The left hander began with a fierce pull off Afridi that crashed into the mid wicket hoardings.
He soon dismantled the Pakistan spin attack. Agha and Ayub were each hit for a four, while leg spinner Abrar Ahmed was punished with a six and a four in successive balls.
One late cut in particular stood out, as Kishan used deft wrists to pierce the third man boundary despite the sluggish surface.
Later, Shadab Khan was launched for six as Kishan raced to his fifty off just 27 balls, remarkable under the circumstances.
Tilak looked tentative while Kishan shouldered the responsibility of accelerating the innings.
Pakistan fight back but India finish strong
Kishan’s attempt to create room and loft Ayub over mid wicket proved costly as he missed the ball and lost his stumps.
From there, Pakistan mounted a brief recovery with Ayub leading the charge.
The off spinner removed Tilak (25 off 24) and Pandya (0) in successive deliveries, reducing India from 126 for two to 126 for four in the 15th over.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 28) and Shivam Dube (27 off 17) could not fully unleash but added 33 crucial runs to push India past 150.
Dube also struck a couple of boundaries off mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who had been introduced late.
Tariq dismissed Suryakumar in the 19th over.
However, a 15 run final over from Afridi, in which Dube and Rinku attacked aggressively, propelled India beyond 170 and ensured a total well beyond Pakistan’s reach.
(With PTI Inputs)
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