PAKvIND: Virat Kohli shines as India beat Pakistan by four wickets in T20 World Cup thriller

MELBOURNE – India Sunday opened its T20 World Cup campaign with confidence as they beat Pakistan by four wickets in nail-biting contest in Melbourne, Australia.

Virat Kohli played star inning of unbeaten 82 runs, guiding the once under-pressured team to win the match on the last ball of the game.  

Kohli came to the crease in the second over when KL Rahul (4) was removed by Naseem Shah (1/23) and things looked forlorn for India when a fired-up Haris Rauf (2/36) reduced them to 31/3 after the batting Powerplay.

As Kohli and Hardik Panday paired up at the crease, hopes for India to win the match ignited again. There was 31 needed from the last two overs and Kohli hit Rauf for two massive sixes on the final two deliveries of the penultimate over to make the equation 16 the final six balls.

Pandya was sent packing on first delivery of the final over, before Kohli completed the target in the Mohammad Nawaz’s over.

Kohli was bowled on the ensuing delivery, but given it was a free hit India scrambled three byes to leave them in the box seat with just two needed from the final two balls.

Karthik was stumped on the second last delivery to give Pakistan hope, but Ravi Ashwin came to the crease to find the boundary with the final ball of the math to clinch a thriller for India.

In the first innings, middle-order batters Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed played much-needed knocks for their side, helping them to push the score to 159/8 in a crucial clash.

Half-tons by the duo fueled team green to advance despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Iftikhar Ahmed changed the momentum after the initial disappointment.

In a major blow to team Pakistan, Arshdeep Singh caught Pakistani skipper Babar Azam for a duck. Newly placed Shan Masood survived the rest of the over dangerously while Arshdeep Singh hits again. A good bouncer by the left-arm pacer sees Mohammad Rizwan depart for mere 4 runs.

Fifty and gone!

Iftikhar Ahmed's entertaining stay at the crease comes to an end ☝#T20WorldCup | #INDvPAK | 📝 https://t.co/H9EE5QNfGD pic.twitter.com/mSDaAfVlga

— ICC (@ICC) October 23, 2022

India started aggressively as key pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished first over with dominating approach.

What a start 🔥#T20WorldCup | #INDvPAK | 📝 https://t.co/H9EE5QNNwb pic.twitter.com/F326llQKzv

— ICC (@ICC) October 23, 2022

India have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opener today.

Squads

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami