Table of Contents
Pakistan faced a 4-wicket defeat against India in a nail-bitting thriller at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, Octo💃ꦚber 24.
Put in to bat first, Pakistan posted a competitive 159-8 in their stipulated overs, thanks to Shan Masood’s unbeaten 52 off 42 balls and Iftikhar Ahmed’s 34-ball 51. Hardik Pandya (3/30) and Arshdeep Singh (3/32) were the pick of the bowlers for India, scalping three wickets each. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/22) and Mohammad Shami (1/25) also bowled economically and returned with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 160 to victory, the Men in Blue crossed the finished line on the final delivery of the match. At one stage, India were struggling at 31-4 but Virat Kohli and Hardik stitched a 113-run partnership for the fifth wicket to keep their team’s hopes alive.
India needed 48 runs off the last three overs, but Kohli didn’t lose his composure and smashed the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of the ground, powering his team on the brink of victory.
In the last over, India lost the wickets of Hardik and Dinesh Karthik on the first and fifth ball, respectively. But then Mohammad Nawaz ended up bowling a wide which tied the game while Ravichandran Ashwin hit the last ball♈ for a boundary to clinch the game for the 20⭕07 T20 World Cup champions.
Virat stayed unbroken on 82 off 53 balls (6 fours and 4 sixes) and his unthinkable knock broke the heart of several Pakistan fans. However, he was appreciated for 🌸his match-w🔯inning prowess by the Pakistan cricket fraternity on Twitter.
Here are the reactions:
The game of nerves today but we had it on our side by 95% and then showed what a world class match winning innings looks like. Well played by both teams, great match!ಞ
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial)
Hard luck boys you guys tried really hard till the last ball keep your chi🍌n high still long way to go,congratulations team india on great win The great just amazing
— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an)
Special appreciation post. True testament to the statement that form is temporary, class is permanen☂t. What a masterclass against all odds.
— Ahmad Shahzad 🇵🇰 (@iamAhmadshahzad)
🥂Team Pakistan never mind.. u tried ur best but it was special innings from a very special player Congratulations
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22)
What a thrilling game it was…but in t𒁏he end one has to win&one has to lose. you really are a special player unbelievable..Tough luck you played well but i think in last 2 overs we lost the ܫmomentum.Good luck🇵🇰long way to go
— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23)
Champion batsman for a reason,special knock under𒁏 pressure .. wel⭕l fought pak team but it was just not enough at the end,cricket is winner at the end
— Sohail Tanveer (@sohailmalik614)
Virat Great game congr🥂atulations team india and well played Pakistan.
— Rashid Latif | 🇵🇰 (@iRashidLatif68)
Those two shots of by king were just next level skill . Perhaps held the value in changing the match as two dismissals in wc 1992 final by legend . What a knock under pressu𓆉re . Fourth seamer missed by .
— Salman Butt (@im_SalmanButt)
Heart breaking 💔
But what a game by India !! nerve of steal !!
— Kainat Imtiaz (@kainatimtiaz16)
These are the type of Matches we always ask for… An Absolute THRILLER!! Great knock by 👏🏼 The 2 sixes to haris was definitely the turning point..A sꦏeamer missed by Hardluꦿck team
— Saeed Ajmal (@REALsaeedajmal)
Great game of cricket. Incredible by once again. Virat is a special player ! Congratulati꧒ons team India… reaches a resu♌lt on the last ball. That’s what the game is about.
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11)
A classic! You win some you🐓 lose some and as we all know this game can be cruel and unfair . couldn’t have given more with bat and ball. Very proud of the effort!
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja)
Tough luck. This was a hard fought m🍌a🍬tch for sure. These nail biters make this the biggest sports rivalry in the world.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph)
