The rain delay had also impacted the toss and the commencement of the game, with Pakistan electing to field first against India.
India emerged victorious over Pakistan by a narrow margin of six runs in a crucial group stage match of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday, propelling them to the top of the standings. The tension was palpable as Pakistan required 12 runs from the final two balls with only three wickets in hand, following an exceptional 19th over by Jasprit Bumrah that saw the dismissal of Iftikhar Ahmed on the last delivery. Arshdeep Singh further intensified the pressure on Pakistan by claiming the wicket of Imad Wasim on the first ball of the 20th over.
At the halfway mark, Pakistan seemed poised for victory, needing just 63 runs from 10 overs with nine wickets still intact, as their top order had navigated the initial overs with composure while chasing a target of 120 runs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
India’s batting performance was lackluster, with the team being bowled out for a mere 119 runs by Pakistan’s Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, who both secured four wickets each. Rishabh Pant emerged as the top-scorer for India with 42 runs, supported by Axar Patel with 20 runs and captain Rohit Sharma with 13 runs, as the only three Indian batsmen to reach double figures.
Struggling to reach the 100-run mark, India finally crossed it in the 16th over against Pakistan, after a shaky start that saw them plummet from 58/2 to 96/7. Opting to bat first in a rain-affected match, India faced early setbacks as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were dismissed within the first three overs, leaving them at 19/2. The rain delay had also impacted the toss and the commencement of the game, with Pakistan electing to field first against India.