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Pakistan faced a 4-wicket defeat against India in a nail-bitting thriller at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, October 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 2007 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-winning 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 @imVkohli showed what a world class match winning innings looks like. Well played by both teams, great match! #PakVsInd
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) October 23, 2022
Hard luck boys you guys tried really hard till the last ball keep your chin high still long way to go,congratulations team india on great win The great @imVkohli just amazing #PakvsIndia #T20WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/7qzsb6xC5p
— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) October 23, 2022
Special @imVkohli appreciation post. True testament to the statement that form is temporary, class is permanent. What a masterclass against all odds.#INDvPAK #T20WorldCup
— Ahmad Shahzad 🇵🇰 (@iamAhmadshahzad) October 23, 2022
Team Pakistan never mind.. u tried ur best but it was special innings from a very special player @imVkohli Congratulations @BCCI
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) October 23, 2022
What a thrilling game it was…but in the end one has to win&one has to lose. @imVkohli you really are a special player unbelievable..Tough luck @TheRealPCB you played well but i think in last 2 overs we lost the momentum.Good luck🇵🇰long way to go #T20WorldCup2022 #PakVsInd
— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) October 23, 2022
Champion batsman for a reason,special knock under pressure @imVkohli.. well fought pak team but it was just not enough at the end,cricket is winner at the end #PakVsInd
— Sohail Tanveer (@sohailmalik614) October 23, 2022
Virat #INDvPAK Great game #ICCT20WorldCup2022 #ViratKohli congratulations team india and well played Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/Y5lSeJLXyu
— Rashid Latif | 🇵🇰 (@iRashidLatif68) October 23, 2022
Those two shots of @HarisRauf14 by king @imVkohli were just next level skill . Perhaps held the value in changing the match as two dismissals in wc 1992 final by legend @wasimakramlive . What a knock under pressure . Fourth seamer missed by @TheRealPCB .
— Salman Butt (@im_SalmanButt) October 23, 2022
Heart breaking 💔 #PakVsInd
But what a game by India !! @imVkohli nerve of steal !!
— Kainat Imtiaz (@kainatimtiaz16) October 23, 2022
These are the type of Matches we always ask for… An Absolute THRILLER!! Great knock by @imVkohli 👏🏼 The 2 sixes to haris was definitely the turning point..A seamer missed by @TheRealPCB Hardluck team #pakistan #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/ERwPeSNins
— Saeed Ajmal (@REALsaeedajmal) October 23, 2022
Great game of cricket. Incredible by @imVkohli once again. Virat is a special player ! Congratulations team India… #INDvPAK reaches a result on the last ball. That’s what the game is about. #ICCT20WorldCup
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) October 23, 2022
A classic! You win some you lose some and as we all know this game can be cruel and unfair .#TeamPakistan couldn’t have given more with bat and ball. Very proud of the effort!
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) October 23, 2022
Tough luck. This was a hard fought match for sure. These nail biters make this the biggest sports rivalry in the world.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) October 23, 2022
