ICC World T20: Virat Kohli wins over Pakistan to keep India up

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Kolkata, March 20, 2016: The wish of India came true here yesterday March 19. First the rain gods relented to let the marquee game get underway and then blessed Virat Kohli, the champion, to be the difference between the two teams with a half-century.  India got life in the ICC World Twenty20, and Pakistan lost, who remain winless against India across the ODI and T20 world cups.
The 118 was a tricky chase on a turning track, but Pakistan’s move to play four pacers backfired in the 18-over game, which India finished in 15.5 overs with Kohli staying unbeaten on a sublime 55 in 37 balls, aided by Yuvraj Singh’s 24 in 23 and Dhoni (13* in 9) who was there with Kohli to celebrate the six-wicket win.

The performance gave India their first win of the tournament, after an upset defeat against New Zealand in Nagpur. And for the record, it became 11/11 for India against Pakistan in ICC events.  Kohli was the most striking difference between the two sides, but after losing opener Rohit Sharma for 10 and then two in two to Mohammad Sami - who dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (6 off 12) and Suresh Raina for a first-ball duck, he needed someone to stay with him.  Yuvraj answered that call as the duo added 61 priceless runs in 44 balls to breathe life back into India’s chase.

The left-handed veteran hit a six off Wahab Riaz, as the Pakistani bowled short and wide to allow Yuvraj to extend his arms and pull over mid-wicket. But after scoring 24 off 23, Yuvraj tried for another big one, only to hit it straight to Sami at mid-wicket.Kohli took over from there on, drove Shahid Afridi and cut Mohammad Irfan for boundaries, followed by Dhoni slapping Irfan for a straight six to level scores and then racing home with 2.1 overs to spare, which should help India’s worrying net run-rate as well.

Earlier, on a square turner, Dhoni manoeuvred his bowling in a manner that surprised many. The track spun from the opening ball bowled by Ashwin (0 for 12), but India’s No. 1 bowler wasn’t the one who delivered four overs, neither did Dhoni use Yuvraj Singh.  Under revised playing conditions after stop-start rain delayed the start by an hour, three bowlers could bowl four overs. Dhoni picked Ashish Nehra (1 for 20), Jasprit Bumrah (1 for 32) and Ravindra Jadeja (1 for 20) to be those three.But India still did well to restrict the Pakistanis, despite the 57 runs Bumrah and Hardik Pandya gave in 6 overs.  Playing with an unchanged side, Dhoni’s decision to bowl on a track that was under covers for almost two hours before the rain-delayed start seemed to be working as he wanted.Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan (17 in 24) and Ahmed Shehzad (25 in 28) didn’t get going against the spin of Ashwin, Jadeja and Raina (1 for 4), who bowled just one over. Afridi promoted himself when Raina drew first blood, courtesy a superb front-diving catch by Pandya at long-on to remove Sharjeel.

The Pakistan skipper was all at sea against Jadeja’s grip and turn, beaten twice as Pakistan crawled to fifty in 9.3 overs.  Dhoni brought Bumrah back at this point, but Shehzad improvised well to paddle him above short fine-leg for a four. The next ball, though, Bumrah had his revenge as Jadeja completed a simple catch at point.  Reading was that Dhoni might bring in Yuvraj at this stage, considering the turn on offer. But it’s always a risk to read the Indian skipper’s mind. He brought Pandya into the attack, instead.

Umar Akmal broke the shackles right away pulling the seam-up allrounder to the boundary. But Afridi couldn’t get the Baroda man’s measure and in an attempt to dictate terms perished to Virat Kohli at long-on. The short ball was a touch quick onto Afridi, and he was found out.  Shoaib Malik’s arrival brought Pakistan the kick they sought as overs No. 14 and 15 fetched the visitors 27 runs. First Akmal deposited Pandya over mid-wicket for first six of the innings and then when the bowler compensated by pitching up, Akmal answered it with another six over long-on to make it 15 runs off the over.  Malik smacked Bumrah next ball through extra cover for a four and made it two in two off a full toss that was flicked to backward square-leg fence. Pakistan’s 100 came up in 15.3 overs.  But both the set batsmen perished in the space of 4 balls that made a difference of at least 12-15 runs to the final total.

Jadeja removed Akmal (22 off 16) caught behind and the next over Nehra got the better of Malik (26 off 16), as the former Pakistan captain didn’t connect the pull properly and the skier was taken by Ashwin who called ’mine’ well in advance at short fine-leg. Sarfraz Ahmed (8*) and the in-form Mohammad Hafeez (5*), who surprisingly batted low down at No. 7, then took seven runs off the final over bowled by Bumrah to reach 118 for 5.

India next play Bangladesh in Bengaluru on November 23, while Pakistan will fly to Mohali for their third game in Group 2 against New Zealand.