India vs Pakistan LIVE: T20 World Cup final score, result and reaction today
Pakistan beat great rivals India in T20 World Cup showdown
Captain Babar Azam led by example as Pakistan beat India in a World Cup showdown for the first time ever with a 10-wicket romp in a Super 12 blockbuster at the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.
Virat Kohli played a captain’s knock of 57 to rescue India from a top-order wobble and help them post a competitive 151-7 in a rematch of the inaugural 2007 final.
His counterpart Babar combined with Mohammad Rizwan to get Pakistan off to a flying start and then overwhelmed the target with 13 balls to spare to snap India’s 100% win record against them in limited-overs World Cups.
Babar remained not out on 68, while Rizwan made an unbeaten 79.
Wary of the dew factor, captains have preferred to field and Babar too followed that trend after winning the toss.
Pakistan did not have to wait long for a breakthrough as Shaheen Afridi (3-31) struck twice in his first seven deliveries to rattle India.
The left-arm pacer fired in a searing yorker-length delivery to dismiss Rohit Sharma lbw for a golden duck and, in his next over, rifled one through KL Rahul’s gate to rearrange the stumps.
Suryakumar Yadav hit Afridi for a six but Rizwan took a diving catch behind the stumps to dismiss the batsman and reduce India to 31-3 in the sixth over.
Kohli and Rishabh Pant calmed nerves in the Indian camp and guided the team to 60-3 at the halfway stage of the innings.
Pant then decided to counter-attack and hit Hasan Ali for back-to-back sixes but his ultra-aggression ultimately did him in.
Shadab Khan foxed Pant with a googly to induce a skier which the spinner caught himself to dismiss the batsman for 39.
Kohli fell in the penultimate over of the innings trying to accelerate but India still made the 150-mark.
Pakistan, in their reply, not only kept their wickets intact in the powerplay overs but also scored briskly with Babar and Rizwan effectively killing off the contest with their rock-solid stand.
Babar brought up his fifty in style, hitting spinner Varun Chakravarthy for a six, while Rizwan reached his own fifty with a pulled boundary off Jasprit Bumrah.
India 0-0 (0.1)
A hint of in-movement as Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first ball lands on a good length on middle stump - KL Rahul blocks into the off-side. India vs Pakistan is away.
Here we go
Before the first ball, and after a moment of debate about the timing of the gestures, India take a knee, Pakistan place their hands on their hearts. The PA announcer gets the crowd going with a booming shout, and the umpires signal play...
India’s openers make their way out
Nothing quirky from India as two men with outstanding records in T20 international cricket make their way out - KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. The powerplays were crucial during the IPL, with a fast start often key.
Which left-armer will Pakistan start with - the speed and swing of Shaheen Shah Afridi or skiddy spin of Imad Wasim...
It’s Shaheen. This could be blockbuster. One of the world’s best bowlers with a rare chance to bowl to two outstanding openers. Here. We. Go!!
Indian National Anthem
Hardik Pandya chuckles as the Indian national anthem comes to a close - he seems surprised at the noise of the Indian supporting crowd. India look confident; Pakistan look prepared. This could be very, very good.
Anthem time in Dubai
The crowd in Dubai looks virtually at the 80% capacity permitted due to the coronavirus, unsurprising given the nature of this encounter. Chances to watch India against Pakistan in person do not come often - expect plenty of noise.
The players have made their way out for the anthems, the Pakistan players placing their right palm across their heart as they sing “Qaumi Taranah”. Plenty of green and white sections in the stands.
Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh
Just before we focus fully on match action from Dubai, Sri Lanka have wrapped things up over in Sharjah, thanks in no small part to an outstanding knock from Charith Asalanka. An unbeaten 80 from the talented 24-year-old - that’s a really strong win for Sri Lanka, who, playing with confidence after a strong qualifying campaign, will be a threat in Group 1.
Strategy chat - How can Pakistan try to counter India?
New ball wickets may thus be key for Pakistan, who will look to spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi to provide them. He’s such a dangerous bowler in all three phases, but if the ball is swinging early on, Afridi’s ability to move the ball at high pace from a left-arm angle can be devastating. Babar Azam must weigh using his best bowler earlier against saving his overs for the death, when he is probably Pakistan’s most reliable option.
Imad Wasim usually shares the new ball - he doesn’t turn the ball a lot, instead defeating batters with skip off the surface and speed from around the wicket to cramp right-handers, but India have an all righty top four on paper. Much like both England and the West Indies yesterday, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Pakistan start with at least two overs from Imad.
Later on, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali both tend to have on and off days, but may be useful options against Hardik Pandya particularly. He can struggle against quick bowling on a hard length, something that the Pakistan pair should be able to provide.
Strategy chat - India to keep wickets in hand and explode late?
India have gone largely conservative for this tournament, eschewing more explosive top-order options in favour of a batting line-up that looks designed to keep wickets in hands. The top three all prefer to take their time to get in and then accelerate later, which may be a useful strategy if the pitch in Dubai is tacky, like it was last night as the West Indies crumbled. There is plenty of powerful prowess further down, though Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya haven’t maybe been in ideal ball-striking touch - India could do with perhaps their two biggest hitters rediscovering their form during this tournament.
That slightly more conservative strategy in the top order has perhaps contributed to the selection of the bowling attack. Had India been more worried about batting depth, the improving Shardul Thakur might have got the nod, but in Kumar and Shami they have opted for their more complete seam bowlers.
Team News - India
As was predicted, Varun Chakravarthy is India’s specialist spinner, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami selected ahead of Shardul Thakur. India might need some overs from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Suryakumar Yadav with Hardik Pandya’s injury problems having left him largely unable to bowl - Pakistan will hope to target one of the leading five bowlers and force Kohli to his part-time options.
INDIA XI: 1 KL Rahul 2 Rohit Sharma 3 Virat Kohli (capt) 4 Suryakumar Yadav 5 Rishabh Pant (wk) 6 Hardik Pandya 7 Ravindra Jadeja 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9 Varun Chakravarthy 10 Mohammed Shami 11 Jasprit Bumrah
Team News - Pakistan
Haider Ali is the man left out by Pakistan, as anticipated.
Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.
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