India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2024, Match 19 - Full Squad

Welcome back for the second essay. The sun is shining in its full glory as the two umpires make their way out to the middle. Rohit Sharma leads his troops out to the centre, and they are joined by the two Pakistan openers. It will be the experienced pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam to open the innings for Pakistan. Arshdeep Singh will kickstart proceedings with the new ball for India. Let's play...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, the Pakistan bowlers have set the game up nicely for them and the onus is now on their batters to take them over the line. It will be nowhere close to being easy on a tricky surface where the odd ball is stopping in the surface. Despite posting only 119 on the board, India are more than in with a shout and they have the resources to make a match out of this. Wickets in the Powerplay will be of utmost importance and the first six overs will be pivotal in deciding the outcome for the Men in Blue. Back in a bit for what should be an interesting chase.

Mohammad Amir is in for a chat. He says that the wicket is a bit tricky and it is a decent total on board and they need to bowl well. Adds that his role was to set the tone for the team and hit the right areas and feels he was able to do his job. Reckons that the batting needs to be sensible from them and a lot will depend on how they start.

As for India, this has been a collapse of some enormity, losing their last 7 wickets for just 30 runs and they will certainly be disappointed with their batting effort. Having lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging upfront for their openers. Rohit Sharma got an early maximum away before the rain interruption but post the resumption, neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit could have much of an impact. Sent in at number 4, Axar Patel took his chances as did Rishabh Pant to keep the scoreboard ticking. While Axar could not kick on, Pant continued to live off the edge and ticked along nicely. India had a solid platform at the halfway mark, but the departure of Suryakumar Yadav triggered a collapse as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. India's last hope, Hardik Pandya could not do much either, resulting in India posting just 119 on the board, their lowest score against Pakistan in Men's T20 World Cups.

A masterful bowling effort from Pakistan to bowl India out for 119. Having won a crucial toss in overcast conditions, the Pakistan pacers have done Babar Azam justice. It was the new ball attack of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah that set the tone, removing both Indian openers early. Naseem struck again after the Powerplay but despite that, Pakistan failed to stem the flow of runs and were a bit sloppy with the ball. Brought back into the attack to break the flourishing stand, Haris Rauf answered the skipper's call and gave Pakistan an opening. Naseem Shah and Mohammad Amir followed it up as the trio kept chipping away at the wickets. They never allowed India to recover and although a bit of complacency did creep in towards the end in the field, they were able to wrap up the innings. Pakistan have bowled India out for the first time in T20Is, enough to tell you what kind of bowling effort this has been.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, OUT! RUN OUT! Uh, oh! Complete miscommunication there between Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh and finally, Pakistan are able to close out the innings. This is pitched up by Shaheen around off, Siraj clears the back leg and thumps it just on the bounce to Babar Azam at mid off. Babar does well to get behind it and Siraj is off for a single. Arshdeep Singh doesn't have much of a clue and has to just go for it in the end. Babr throws it at the right end and the keeper Mohammad Rizwan whips off the bails with Arshdeep stranded halfway down the track. India are bundle out for 119, the lowest total for which they have ever been bowled out in a T20 World Cup match while batting first.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, Trying too many things here Mohammed Siraj. A bit fuller and outside the off stump, Siraj gets well across the off stump and looks to play the scoop off the face of the bat but the ball zips throiugh to the keeper. Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi both feel there was some bat involved but Babar Azam doesn't quite agree and eventually the review is taken. Nothing on UltraEdge though.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, Banged in short and quick too around off stump, Mohammed Siraj tries to be cheeky and walks across the off stump to play it over short fine leg but is well beaten.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, Yikes, that is so sloppy from Shaheen Afridi and Pakistan on the whole. Nice and full around off stump, Mohammed Siraj just opens the bat face and plays it away square through covers for a single. The throw from the deep is a bit wide and Shaheen is somewhat lazy to collect it and lets it through his hands. Siraj gets another extra run.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, Two more! These could be crucial runs in the context of the game. Fuller in length and around off, Mohammed Siraj with a good-looking cover drive through the cover region and they get back for a comfortable second run.

Shaheen Afridi to Mohammed Siraj, Overthrows! That was unncessary from Pakistan's point of view. Full and right in the blockhole around off, Mohammed Siraj bunts it off the toe end of the bat towards point where Shadab Khan dives to his right and fires in a throw at the keeper's end. It is well wide and Siraj picks up an extra run.

Haris Rauf to Mohammed Siraj, No hat-trick! Haris Rauf went for the yorker at the toes but got it a bit too full on the leg stump, Mohammed Siraj manages to get bat on it and nudges it away behind square leg for a couple of runs.

Haris Rauf to Jasprit Bumrah, OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the man and India are going down in a hurry here. Haris Rauf goes for the quick and full ball, gets it in at around 150 clicks and just outside the off stump. Jasprit Bumrah just leans right ahead and drives it straight into the hands of Imad Wasim at short cover who takes a sharp catch and Pakistan are just a wicket away from bundling India out.

Mohammed Siraj is the last man in for India.

Jasprit Bumrah walks out to bat now.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, OUT! CAUGHT! In the air and taken! Hardik Pandya has holed out in the deep and perishes at a crucial time. Haris Rauf bowls it on a hard length and angles it in from around middle. Pandya picks the ball up and whips it off the pads in front of the man at deep backward square leg. Iftikhar Ahmed in the deep runs around and takes a fine running catch inside the ropes to get rid of the dangerman and Rauf is pumped up.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, Steep bounce on that occasion! Quick and just short of a good length around off, shooting off the deck. Hardik Pandya is late on the cut and the ball flies down well fine of third man. Shadab Khan there does extremely well to run across and put in a big dive to save the boundary. Two more.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, Slightly short again, bowled from wider on the crease and angled back in a long way into the pads. Hardik Pandya looks to get inside the line and flick but misses and gets hit on the thigh pad.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, FOUR! Nicely done in the end by Hardik Pandya. Banged in quick and short outside the off stump, Pandya backs away a bit and slashes at it. The ball goes off the outer half of the bat and fine of third man. Naseem Shah runs across to his left but cannot get there and it will be a boundary.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Pace on this time, seemed like another cross-seamer, bowled a tad full and outside off. Arshdeep Singh swings wildly at it but only connects with thin air.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Edged but lands short! Slower one, bowled into the pitch a bit and outside off. Arshdeep Singh steps out to hoick it away but gets an under edge that goes on the bounce to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Pitched up around the off stump, Arshdeep Singh hangs deep in the crease and uses the bottom hand to whip the ball across towards deep mid-wicket. The man in the deep gets to his right and keeps it down to a brace.

A halt in play as Arshdeep Singh has copped a blow on the glove and he is whining his right hand in pain. The physio sprints out to have a look. The magic spray seems to have done its job and Arshdeep is ready to resume.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Ouch, that is a stinging blow! Mohammad Amir dishes out another short ball, bowling it cross-seam and right around the right shoulder. Arshdeep Singh gets hurried on and takes his eyes off the ball. The ball seems to have gone off the gloves and into the shoulder before lobbing behind. Mohammad Rizwan tries to scamper and dive in but just fails to reach it and the ball pops out. Arshdeep looks hurt as well with that blow.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Bowls it full now and on off stump, Arshdeep Singh stays in the crease and manages to block it off.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, FOUR! Stand and dleiver from Arshdeep Singh. This is banged in halfway down the pitch, no real intent on that one. Singh picks it up and lifts it high in front of the mid-wicket region. The ball pitches and trickles into the fence.

Naseem Shah to Arshdeep Singh, Good length around off and angling away, Arshdeep Singh walks across and tucks it to the leg side in front of square for one more. The 100 comes up for India as well.

Naseem Shah to Arshdeep Singh, Goes full and straight now but takes pace off, this gives Arshdeep Singh time to just push it away to short cover.

Naseem Shah to Arshdeep Singh, That had some serious heat on it! Naseem Shah bends his back and digs in a spicy bumper right around the helmet at over 141 clicks and Arshdeep Singh does well to sway away from the line of the ball.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, On a fuller length again and outside off, Hardik Pandya gets on the front foot and punches it straight to mid off for a quick single.

Naseem Shah to Arshdeep Singh, This is bowled short of a length and at the batter, Arshdeep Singh nudges it away to deep third for a single.

Naseem Shah to Arshdeep Singh, Ooh, close to the outside edge but not close enough! Pitched up full and in that corridor of uncertainty, Arshdeep Singh just leaves the bat hanging and the ball nips away past the outside edge.

Mohammad Amir to Hardik Pandya, At pace this time and angling away, full in length, Hardik Pandya covers his stumps and shoulders arms. End of a tide-turning over from Amir, 2 wickets and just a single off it.

Mohammad Amir to Hardik Pandya, Rolls his fingers over the ball and it goes across the batter, outside off, Hardik Pandya is happy to leave the ball alone.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Bowls it really full but the line is around the pads, Arshdeep Singh flicks it off his pads behind square on the leg side and gets off the mark with a single.

Mohammad Amir to Arshdeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh sees off the hat-trick ball! Attacks the stumps does Amir and this is full as well, Arshdeep Singh stays rooted in his crease but covers the line of the ball. Gets his bat out in front of the pads and defends.

Arshdeep Singh comes in to face the hat-trick ball.

Mohammad Amir to Ravindra Jadeja, OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Two in two for Mohammad Amir and Pakistan are all over India like a rash! Lands this one a good length again, on off, Ravindra Jadeja pushes in front of his body and gets half-forward as he looks to get it through the off side. The ball stops in the surface, yet again and Jadeja is through his shot early. Chips it straight to short cover where Imad Wasim is in really tight and he makes no mistake. Hat-trick ball coming up.

Ravindra Jadeja is the next batter in.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, OUT! TAKEN! A massive blow to India as the well-set Rishabh Pant departs. Pakistan have pulled things back and how since the halfway mark. Amir gets the first wicket of the game and it is the big one of Pant. Charges in from over the wicket and bowls it on a good length, outside off, Rishabh Pant tries to go back over the bowler's head but the ball is not full enough for him. He still goes through with the shot and skies it high in the air towards mid off where Babar Azam runs a few steps to his left and takes it near his chest.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, Big swing and a miss! Hits the hard length, outside off, Hardik Pandya clears his front leg to swipe across the line but the ball climbs onto him and sails past the bat.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, NO BALL! Naseem Shah goes up in appeal for caught behind but he has overstepped here. Free Hit coming up. Angling down leg, on a hard length, Hardik Pandya misses the tickle and it goes through to the keeper, Mohammad Rizwan.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, This is on a length, just outside off, Hardik Pandya pats it from the crease to cover.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, Good shot for no run! Naseem serves it much fuller this time, on off, Hardik Pandya shimmies down the track and drills it down the ground but can't get it past mid off.

Naseem Shah to Hardik Pandya, Hurls it on a good length, on off, Hardik Pandya covers the line of the ball and gets on the front foot to defend it out on the off side.

Hardik Pandya is the new man in.

Naseem Shah to Shivam Dube, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! The bowling change has done the trick for Pakistan. Shivam Dube falls early and India have now lost half their side. Naseem stays over the wicket and hits the hard length this time, on middle, Shivam Dube does not move his feet much and plays in front of his body as he looks to push it down the ground. The ball sticks in the surface a bit and Dube chips it off the upper half of the bat to the left of Naseem Shah who does the rest.

Naseem Shah to Rishabh Pant, Comes back into the attack and angles it across from over the wicket, on a good length, around off, Rishabh Pant uses the angle and glides it down to deep third for one.

Imad Wasim to Shivam Dube, This is flat and short, on a hard length, on middle, Shivam Dube firms the drive down the deck where Imad Wasim makes a good stop to his left.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Leg bye! Keeps it slow but this is fuller, on off, Rishabh Pant shapes up for the reverse sweep but misses as the ball brushes his pads and rolls away to short third for a leg bye.

Imad Wasim to Shivam Dube, Floats it up again and this is on a nagging length, on off and middle, the ball grips in the surface and Shivam Dube has to check his shot before turning it in front of square on the leg side for one.

Imad Wasim to Shivam Dube, Fires it in, full and on middle, Shivam Dube pushes it back to the bowler.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Slows it up and it is shorter as well, turning in, on middle, Rishabh Pant is through his shot early but controls the pull along the ground to deep backward square leg for a run.

Imad Wasim to Shivam Dube, Angles it in from wide of the crease from the over-the-wicket angle, on a short length, on middle, Shivam Dube nudges it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Haris Rauf to Shivam Dube, Hurls it on a back of a length, around off, Shivam Dube gets on top of the bounce nicely and punches it square to deep point for a single to get off the mark.

Haris Rauf to Shivam Dube, Oh, that popped up off the surface. Bangs it away on a hard length, a hint of extra bounce, Shivam Dube does well though to keep it down beside the pitch on the off side.

Haris Rauf to Shivam Dube, Right on the money! On a hard length, on off, Shivam Dube hangs back in his crease and pats it with a straight bat back to the bowler.

Haris Rauf to Shivam Dube, Past the outside edge straight away! Comes in from around the wicket and gets the ball to zip through, on a back of a length, Shivam Dube fiddles at the delivery and he is lucky not to nick this one behind.

Shivam Dube walks in at number 6.

Haris Rauf to Suryakumar Yadav, OUT! CAUGHT! Haris Rauf strikes back after an expensive first over. He is pumped up as is Mohammad Amir who bangs the ball into the turf. Pitches it right up to the batter, on middle, the shot was on with mid off inside the circle. The bat turns in his hand and Suryakumar Yadav lobs it off the toe-end of the bat tamely towards Mohammad Amir who takes the simplest of catches at mid off. A much-needed breakthrough for Pakistan.

Haris Rauf to Suryakumar Yadav, Half a shout for LBW but this looks to be clearly going down leg. As always, Haris Rauf is interested but Mohammad Rizwan indicates that the ball was going down leg and the UltraEdge confirms the same. Full and tailing back into the right-hander, on middle and leg, Suryakumar Yadav plays all around it and gets pinged on the front pad.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, Comes from around the wicket for the right-hander, short and on off, punched with a straight bat down to long off for one more run.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Slows it up a touch and bowls it short, turning in, on middle, Rishabh Pant skips down the track and tucks it through mid-wicket for one.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! Executed to perfection! Fires it in and it is shorter as well, on off, Rishabh Pant employs the reverse sweep and hits it over short third for a boundary.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Goes straight on, on a nagging length, on off, Rishabh Pant looks to play it with the turn but the ball skids through to go past the bat.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, Slides on the pads, full in length, Suryakumar Yadav tickles it wide of short fine leg and gets to the other end.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Starts from over the wicket and tosses it up nicely, full and on middle, Rishabh Pant slog sweeps it to deep backward square leg for one.

Drinks break! Despite the loss of three wickets, India have managed to build a decent platform. Rishabh Pant has taken his chances to keep the scoreboard ticking and will look to bat in the same fashion, whereas the newly arrived Suryakumar Yadav will look to play the anchor role on a wicket that looks the best of what we have seen in New York so far. Pakistan have been unable to keep the pressure on the Indian batters and have allowed them to gain momentum. They will be hoping that this break in play brings about a wicket for them on which they can build.

Haris Rauf to Suryakumar Yadav, Much better from Haris Rauf. On a good length and in the channel around off, nipping away quickly off the deck. Suryakumar Yadav has a poek at it but the ball whizzes past the outside edge.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Banged in well short and outside off, Rishabh Pant reaches out and just angles the ramp down to third man for a single.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! Much more in control that time and Rishabh Pant makes it a hat-trick of fours. Fuller in length and on the pads, Pant picks it up and flicks it away past square leg and into the fence.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! That is classic Pant, no idea how he played that shot but he gets the boundary again. Full and around off stump, Pant goes right across the off stump and falls over before managing to scoop it away over backward square leg for four more runs.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! Slower ball, Rishabh Pant picks it up and gets it away to the fence. This is pitched up outside off stump, Pant waits well and then lifts it over wide mid off for a boundary.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Begins from around the stumps, bowling it back of a length and around off stump, Rishabh Pant stays on the back foot and pushes it down in front of covers.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, On the bounce! Speared in at the stumps, Rishabh Pant swats it flat and over mid on as Iftikhar Ahmed rushes in from the deep but the ball lands well short and the batters get a single.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, A tad shorter now and around off, Rishabh Pant muscles the ball away through the mid-wicket region and picks up a couple of runs.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, That one straightened a bit! Quick and a bit full around off stump, drifting away and then just coming back in. Rishabh Pant pokes at it and almost gets an inside edge back onto the stumps.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Another reverse sweep attempted and Pant misses again. Pushes it through from over the wicket, on a nagging length, around off, Rishabh Pant switches his grip and swings at it but connects with thin air.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, Nicely bowled! A bit of flight on that one, bowled on a nagging length around off and gripping too. Suryakumar Yadav plays it late and edges it down with soft hands to short third for one.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, Rishabh Pant seems to have the luck of the Irish right now with him. This is tossed up a bit and angled across the left-hander, Pant looks to fetch and slog but misues it high around square leg and into the gap. Fakhar Zaman tries to come in from behind square leg but doesn't reach it. Just the single.

Imad Wasim to Rishabh Pant, WIDE! Starts off with a slingy delivery that is pushed well outside the off stump, Rishabh Pant looks to reverse sweep but misses.

Naseem Shah to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Suryakumar Yadav is up and running! This is bowled quite full and attacking the stumps, SKY gets on the front foot and drills it straight back past the bowler for a boundary.

Naseem Shah to Suryakumar Yadav, Just back of a length and around off stump, Suryakumar Yadav stays on the back foot and nudges it down on the off side.

Suryakumar Yadav comes in at number 5.

Naseem Shah to Axar Patel, OUT! TIMBER! Axar Patel looked to be aggressive there but gets cleaned up instead. Just as the on-air commentators said that this was the highest score by an Indian batter at number 4 against Pakistan in a T20 World Cup clash, Axar walks back. Naseem Shah steams in from over the wicket and just bowls it on a tad shorter length around middle and leg, Axar comes down the pitch to heave it away but misses the ball completely and Pakistan have their third wicket as the ball crashes into the stumps.

Naseem Shah to Axar Patel, Good length around the top of off stump, Axar Patel stays in his crease and tentatively blocks it out.

Naseem Shah to Axar Patel, Pitched up again around the off stump, Axar Patel leans into the drive and punches it on the bounce towards mid off.

Naseem Shah to Rishabh Pant, Pitched up from over the wicket and right on off stump, Rishabh Pant looks to punch off the front foot but gets it off the inner half of the bat towards mid-wicket for one.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Axar Patel, FOUR! Now, that is a lovely shot! Tossed up at the stumps, Axar Patel skips down the pitch, holds his shape really well and just lifts it back over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Rishabh Pant, Full and at the stumps, Rishabh Pant walks down the pitch and pushes it down to long on for a single.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Rishabh Pant, WIDE! Quicker one, full and fired in down the leg side for a wide.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Rishabh Pant, Oh, dear! Rishabh Pant is living on a knife's edge and probably trying too many things out there. Nagging length around off stump, Pant walks across trying to scoop it away but gets an inside edge onto the back leg.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Rishabh Pant, Floats this one up down the leg side, Rishabh Pant tries to go a bit too hard at it and misses out on the slog. The ball takes a bit of pad and strikes the body of Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Axar Patel, Dropped a bit shorter on off and this one pops up after pitching, Axar Patel backs away and taps it past point for a single.

Iftikhar Ahmed to Axar Patel, Starts from around the stumps and bowls it a bit flatter around off, Axar Patel blocks it down the deck off the front foot.

First look at spin as Iftikhar Ahmed come into the attack.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, Beaten! Keeps it quite full in the channel around off and gets it to swing away sharply, Rishabh Pant gets squared up as the ball beats the outside edge. India are 50/2 at the end of the Powerplay.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! Rishabh Pant going for broke here and he has picked up 11 vital runs off miscued shots. Full again and around off stump, Pant is late on the flick again and cue-ends it well over Iftikhar Ahmed's head this time at first slip for another boundary. Mohammad Amir is highly frustrated with that.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, On a good length and outside off, steered away down to third man for a single by Axar Patel.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, Oh, that was mighty close to the off stump! Slightly full and around off, gets this one to swing back in, Axar Patel is beaten all ends up and the ball zips between bat and pad through to the keeper.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, DROPPED! That was much more of a valiant effort and a highly difficult chance but Usman Khan has grassed it. Pitched up again around off stump, Rishabh Pant gets in a poor position as he looks to flick it away and skies it off the toe end of the bat over the point region. Usman gives it a good chase and puts in the dive but the ball is always going further away and he cannot hang on. The batters pick up three runs.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, EDGED AND FOUR! Pitched up full and wide of the off stump, Rishabh Pant throws his hands at the ball and gets a thick outside edge as the ball goes quickly and wide of first slip. Iftikhar Ahmed there springs across but seems a bit late and the ball is through him before time. The ball races away into the fence.

A slight halt in play as Axar Patel seems to have hurt himself a bit as he put in that big dive on the previous delivery. The batters also get a few refreshments and we are back to the game.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, Good running! Delivers it on a hard length, outside off, Axar Patel opens the bat face and glides it to the right of backward point. By the time, the deep third fielder gets around, Axar turns around and dives to complete the second run.

Shaheen Afridi to Rishabh Pant, Almost dragged it onto the stumps! This is on a back of a length, around off, Rishabh Pant shapes up to play it square on the off side but the ball nips back in a touch and catches the inside edge. Luckily for Rishabh, it sneaks past the stumps and it rolls to short fine leg for one.

Shaheen Afridi to Rishabh Pant, Angling in, fuller as well, outside off, Rishabh Pant leans on it and times the drive straight to cover.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, Slightly uppish but safe! Delivers it on a good length, on off, the ball stops in the surface and it results in Axar Patel driving it aerially but it drops wide of cover and the batters cross over.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, SIX! More in control and Axar Patel gets the maximum reward! Digs it in short but offers width on off, Axar Patel waits for the ball to come to him and ramps it over the keeper and the first slip for half a dozen.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, FOUR! Streaky but they all count! Afridi bowls it in the corridor of off, on a short of a good length, Axar Patel pushes at the delivery away from his body. He is late on the shot and the ball races off the toe-end of the bat to the right of deep third for a boundary.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, Dishes it out on a fullish length, outside off, Axar Patel gets his bat down in time and squeezes it out to deep third for a single.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, Trifecta of plays and misses! Much fuller from Amir and this is near the tramline on off, Axar Patel goes for an expansive drive away from his body but the ball goes away and whizzes past the bat.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, And again! Pulls the length back and offers a bit of width on off, Axar Patel tries to latch onto the width but goes after it tentatively and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Mohammad Amir to Axar Patel, Beaten! Serves it on a good length and in that channel on off, Axar Patel has a loose poke at the delivery and he is lucky not to nick this one behind as the ball nips past the bat.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, A good chase from Shaheen Afridi to save a run for his side. Bowls it with an upright seam, full and on off, Rishabh Pant brings his bottom hand into play and whips it along the ground through mid-wicket. The ball holds up in the outfield again, allowing Shaheen to pull it back. Three runs taken.

Mohammad Amir to Rishabh Pant, Starts with an outswinger from over the wicket and bowls it full as well, Rishabh Pant shoulders arms.

Mohammad Amir comes into the attack now.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, Angling in from wide of the crease on the over-the-wicket angle, on off, Axar Patel plays it late off the back foot and guides it to backward point. Back-to-back successful overs for Pakistan have put India under early pressure.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, Hurls it around off, on a short of a good length, Axar Patel gets on top of the bounce nicely and punches it to cover.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, WIDE! Lands it beyond the tramline on off, Axar Patel lets it go for a wide.

Axar Patel has been sent up the order as a pinch-hitter it seems.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! The Eagle has landed in New York. India rocked early with both back openers in the hut. Shaheen varies his line as this is on the pads, full in length, Rohit Sharma tries to play the pick-up shot, similar to what he did before the break which went for six. However, this time, gets more height on it and it goes only as far as deep square leg where Haris Rauf runs to his left and settles under the skier. Pakistan with the first blow in this big game.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Edged but it drops way short! Continues to angle it away from the batter, around off, Rohit Sharma defends it with soft hands and it goes on the bounce to the diving fielder at first slip.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Play and a miss! The ball is coming out of the hand nicely for Shaheen Afridi after the break. Keeps it full and lures Rohit Sharma into the drive, angles it across, outside off, Rohit looks to go back over the bowler's head but gets beaten on the angle.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, At 136.1 kph, full and angling away, around off, Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot and covers the line of the ball to block it out.

Naseem Shah to Rohit Sharma, Bangs it away on a hard length, over off, Rohit Sharma hangs back in his crease and steers it with an open bat face down to deep third to keep the strike. End of a successful over from Naseem.

Naseem Shah to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Too straight and these are easy pickings for Rohit Sharma. Strays on the pads with a short fine leg in place and it is full as well, Rohit Sharma allows the ball to come to him and helps it to the left of short fine leg for a boundary.

Naseem Shah to Rishabh Pant, TWO WIDES! Tries to get the ball to shape back into the left-hander but slips it down leg, on a fuller length, Rishabh Pant lets it go and it goes on the bounce to the keeper, Mohammad Rizwan who fails to make a clean stop diving away to his right and concedes an extra.

Naseem Shah to Rishabh Pant, Past the outside edge! Angles it away from the left-hander, on a length, on off, Rishabh Pant plays inside the line of the ball and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Rishabh Pant walks in at number 3.

Naseem Shah to Virat Kohli, OUT! TAKEN! Straight to the fielder and it is Naseem Shah with the first strike for Pakistan. Not the best of deliveries from Naseem but he still manages to get a wicket off it. Naseem offers width and it is too short as well, Virat Kohli reaches out as he looks to slap it over covers. The ball stops in the surface a bit and Kohli plays it too far away from his body to get the connection. Ends up getting this one off the toe-end of the bat and it goes straight to cover-point where Usman Khan leaps and takes the catch over his head.

Naseem Shah to Virat Kohli, Pulls the length back and bowls it on off, Virat Kohli uses his feet and defends it right under his eyeline.

Naseem Shah to Virat Kohli, FOUR! Class written all over it and Virat Kohli is away! Naseem gets a good away shape on this one, full and outside off, Virat Kohli stays balanced in the crease and extends his hands to cream the drive through covers. Despite the damp outfield, the ball has enough legs to reach the fence.

Welcome, back! It is time for Take 2 and the mother of all cricketing clashes is back underway and the big positive is that the skies have cleared up a bit more as well. The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the players of Pakistan. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to resume their stay with the latter taking strike for the first ball. Naseem Shah will share the new ball with Shaheen Afridi. Let's go...

UPDATE - 9.12 pm IST (3.42 pm GMT) - Positive news! As we had hoped, it was just a passing shower, and the umpires are out to inspect the outfield as we speak. The square stays covered for now and the call on taking the covers off will be taken soon by the match officials, who are currently in a discussion with the head of the ground staff. The covers are being peeled off now, and the stumps are being erected. The Pakistan players have come out, and we should not be far away from resumption now. Right then, play will restart at 9.30 pm IST (4 pm GMT) with no overs lost.

UPDATE - 8.55 pm IST (3.25 pm GMT) - Uh, oh! Look who's back? Yes, the rain but it seems to be just a passing shower and hopefully, it just is only a passing shower. Just as Naseem Shah was raring to bowl the second over, the heavens opened up again and the players are off the field. Frustrating for everyone on and off the field but it is just that kind of a day. Stay tuned for further updates. A few minutes later, the rain has really picked up now. Another thing to keep in mind is that there is a buffer of 90 minutes before we start losing overs and if this burst of rain persists for a while longer, we will certainly start losing overs.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, A massive shout for LBW but the umpire shakes his head! Shaheen Afridi is extremely confident but Babar Azam, standing at mid off, spots the inside edge and Pakistan do not take the review. This was very full from Shaheen, on middle, a hint of inward shape, Rohit Sharma went for the flick shot and should consider himself lucky that he got an inside edge on it because he was struck right in front of the stumps. An eventful end to the first over of this game.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Delivers it on the off-stump line and keeps it on a good length, Rohit Sharma gets a good stride in and dabs it square to cover-point.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Gets the ball to angle across from over the wicket, on a good length, Rohit Sharma watcfully shoulders arms.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, SIX! WOW! It does not take long for Rohit Sharma to get going! The Indian skipper picked the bones out of that. Shaheen bowls it around middle and leg, on a length, Rohit Sharma picks up the line and length early and plays the pick-up shot to perfection. Clears deep square leg for a biggie.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Drags the length back and aims it over middle, not much movement, Rohit Sharma hangs back and stabs it down off the deck with a straight bat.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma and India are underway! Shaheen Afridi steams in from over the wicket with a slip in place and pitches it right up, on middle and leg, Rohit Sharma brings his wrists into play and clips it through square leg. The ball holds up in the outfield and Rohit comes back for the second run.

Done with the pre-match proceedings and it is now time to play! It has been quite a long wait but it is almost always worth the wait. The umpires are out in the middle and so are the players of Pakistan who spread out on the field. The prolific opening duo of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli walks out to open the innings for India. Shaheen Afridi has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Just the one slip in place. Let's go...

Just a few minutes left for the big clash! One of the ambassadors of this T20 World Cup and one of India's greatest white-ball players ever, Yuvraj Singh walks out and places that coveted trophy on the podium. Next up the officials walks out and behind them are the two sets of players who will line up for their respective national anthems. It is a sea of blue out in the crowd with a tinge of green here and there. It will be the national anthem of Pakistan first followed by the national anthem of India.

UPDATE - 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT) - The Super Soppers have done their job, and the outfield has dried up nicely. Play is set to start at 8.50 pm IST (3.20 pm GMT), provided there is no more rain. It has brightened up as well, and let's hope that we do not have any more delays. In case you were wondering, no overs have been lost despite the amount of time we have lost.

UPDATE - 8.23 pm IST (2.53 pm GMT) - Great news! The rain has stopped, and the covers are coming off. However, it does not look like we will be starting on time, and we will most certainly be having a further delay to this high-octane clash. The hessian has also been removed, which is a good sign. The match officials are seen in a discussion with the chief of the ground staff and will soon have an update regarding the start of play. Stick around for more news.

UPDATE - 8.14 pm IST (2.44 pm GMT) - Oh, no! The rain has returned, and the ground staff are quick to put the covers back on. Fingers crossed that the rain subsides soon enough for us to get going at the scheduled start time of 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT).

Suryakumar Yadav is down for a chat. He says that you can't prepare for weather like this but the general preparation has been good. Adds that he won't try to avoid any shot on this track and intent is important. Mentions that it has always been a great competition between India and Pakistan and he is looking forward to a good game.

The captain of India, Rohit Sharma says that they would have bowled first as well. Tells that they will look to assess as quickly as possible and try to get a decent score. Feels that it can be challenging upfront but they know what they need to do as a batting group. Reckons that every game in the World Cup is crucial and it is important to turn up pretty well. Opines that having played a couple of games in New York will help them in assessing what the right score is on this surface. Ends by informing that they are going with the same team as the last game.

Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan says that they will bowl first given the weather and pitch conditions and will try to utilize the first 6 overs. Adds that the early conditions will suit them given they have four fast bowlers and mentions that they have to forego the past and are ready for the clash. Adds that they are always motivated when facing India and informs that they have one change in the side with Imad Wasim coming in for Azam Khan.

Pakistan (Playing XI) - Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Babar Azam (C), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim (In for Azam Khan), Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir.

India (Unchanged Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.

TOSS - Babar Azam calls 'heads' and heads it is. Pakistan have opted to BOWL first.

UPDATE - 7.45 pm IST (2.15 pm GMT) - Right then, it's inspection time! The match officials are out in talks with the ground staff. The ground staff are slowly starting to peel the covers off the square before proceeding to uncover the strip. More promising signs as the toss is set to take place at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT). The first ball will be bowled at 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT) with no overs lost.

UPDATE - 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) - The rain has stopped, which is great news for everyone! The umpires are also out for an inspection. They are not satisfied with the conditions just yet and have scheduled another inspection for 7.45 pm IST (2.15 pm GMT). We will gain more clarity then regarding the toss and the start of play. For now, though, the toss has been officially delayed.

UPDATE - 7.14 pm IST (1.44 pm GMT) - Uh, oh! Not the best start to our coverage, as it's currently raining at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium and the square has been covered. What started off as a drizzle has unfortunately picked up, but let's hope that it is a passing shower and that there is no delay to the commencement of the game. Stay tuned for more updates.

On the other hand, after a shocking defeat at the hands of the USA in Dallas, Pakistan are right up against it early in the tournament. Their Powerplay woes, visible in the campaign opener, highlight the importance of experienced batters like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Fakhar Zaman. The four-pronged pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah is expected to step up, while Imad Wasim passing his fitness test is a much-needed boost to their spin department. Pakistan are as unpredictable as they come, and only time will tell which Pakistan will turn up against India. Will Babar Azam and Co. bounce back, or will India, having lost only once against Pakistan in World Cup cricket, extend their dominance? Stay tuned to find out.

India have kicked off their mission to end the ICC trophy drought on a high note with a fairly comfortable win over Ireland. Rohit Sharma had a scratchy inning, but the time spent out in the middle will be invaluable for the Indian skipper. Games against Pakistan always bring out the best in Virat Kohli, and both he and Rohit will be crucial on this challenging surface. With Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik Pandya forming a formidable pace attack, it will be interesting to see if Kuldeep Yadav, who enjoyed success against Pakistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup, finds a place in the side.

Hello and a warm welcome, folks! Games don’t come much bigger than this. It's India versus Pakistan at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. The 'Big Apple' is buzzing with excitement as the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium gears up to host this epic showdown between two arch-rivals. Adding to the intrigue are the spicy pitches in New York, which have so far tested the batters to the hilt, but it all should make for some entertaining viewing.

... MATCH DAY ...

The stage is set, the battlegrounds are ready, and the air is thick with anticipation as two of the fiercest rivals in cricket history prepare to lock horns in a high-voltage encounter. India and Pakistan are all set to reignite their age-old rivalry in the T20 World Cup 2024, and the world can’t wait. There’s nothing quite like an India vs Pakistan match. It’s not just a game, it’s an emotion, a fever that grips millions. Every ball, every run, and every wicket carries the weight of history and dedication. Over the years, these encounters have delivered some of the most unforgettable moments in cricketing history, from India triumphing over Pakistan in the 2007 inaugural T20 World Cup Final to Virat Kohli’s masterclass in the chase in 2022. India enters this high-stakes clash following a dominant performance against Ireland. The Indian bowlers displayed exceptional form, and more importantly, Hardik Pandyad has regained his rhythm with the ball. Arshdeep Singh has once again risen to the occasion in the big tournament, while Jasprit Bumrah is in the form of his life, firing those pinpoint thunderbolts. The two spinning all-rounders, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja make the side more flexible and consistent and would be pivotal especially on the spin-friendly track of New York. Kuldeep Yadav is another cunning spinner in the ranks. Rohit Sharma has had his issues with left-arm pacers, but when he's in the zone, he's tough to stop. Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav will need to anchor and stabilise the top order and make life easier for the finishers. Shivam Dube and Rishabh Pant will be in charge of inflating the scoring rate, while Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya add even more depth to the batting lineup. On the other hand, Pakistan's campaign began in a disastrous fashion as they were left utterly shell shocked by an unimaginable first-game defeat to the USA, a result that no one saw coming. Although it was an absolute humdinger contest, Pakistan completely unraveled in the Super Over. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were their standout performers with the bat, but their strike rates have been a significant concern lately. Fakhar Zaman has historically performed well against India in the ICC tournaments, and Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed are expected to step up in the crucial moments. Usman Khan will also need to raise his game. On the bowling front, Pakistan is eager to bounce back after their nightmare against the USA. Mohammad Amir, backed by his commendable track record against Indian openers, is poised for a determined comeback following a tough Super Over against the USA. With historical stats tipping the scales in favor of the men in blue, India seeks to extend their dominance. Yet, Pakistan, hungry for a victory, sees this as the perfect stage and opportunity to turn the tide in their favor. Whenever these two subcontinental heavyweights have clashed, India has a solid track record while chasing, with chase-master Virat Kohli often being the game-changer and making the difference, robbing the game from crunch situations. Pakistan, on the other hand, tends to perform better when batting second and surely with their solitary past triumph by ten wickets almost three years back. It's a showdown between Pakistan's formidable pace battery and India's strong batting lineup. Who do you think has an upperhand?