MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Virat Kohli struck an imperious half-century and Ravichandran Ashwin was cool at the death as India secured a four-wicket win on the final ball against arch-rivals Pakistan at the T20 World Cup today in front of a huge Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd.
Pakistan’s spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz had a final over to forget, gifting India two wides and a no-ball before Ashwin coolly blasted the winning run over mid-off as India chased down 160 for victory.
Man-of-the-match Kohli was magnificent, driving India to the brink of victory with 82 not out after digging the team out of trouble in a brilliant partnership with Hardik Pandya (40).
Pakistan were cruising to what seemed a morale-boosting victory but Kohli went ballistic with the bat in the final overs to bring India home in front of 90,293 screaming fans and hundreds of millions more watching around the world.
“Well, it’s a surreal atmosphere. I honestly have no words. I have no idea how that happened,” Kohli said.
“Hardik kept telling me, just believe we can stay ’till the end. I’m lost for words.”
Kohli thrashed back-to-back sixes in the penultimate over against Haris Rauf to push India within 15 runs of victory from the final six balls.
With Kohli off strike, Nawaz had Pandya caught in close with a miscued slog to break a 113-run partnership.
Kohli took back the strike and hit a six off a no-ball as the wheels fell off for Nawaz, who then bowled a wide.
Kohli was bowled off the free hit on the next ball but the ball rattled for three byes off the stumps.
With two balls left and two runs required, Nawaz had Dinesh Karthik stumped but bowled a wide on what would have been the last ball of the over.
Ashwin cleared the in-field with a calm finish to complete the win, sending Indian fans into a frenzy.
It was a cruel finish for Pakistan, who had rallied well to post a defendable total of 159 for eight after losing the toss and starting poorly with the bat.
“All credit to Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli,” said Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
“They shifted the momentum and finished the game well … We had a chance, and we just asked the boys to believe in themselves, but again credit to Virat Kohli.”
India v Pakistan – the final over, as it happened
(Reuters) – With India chasing 160 to beat Pakistan in their Twenty20 World Cup opener in Melbourne, India needed 16 runs off the final over from Mohammad Nawaz, with batsmen Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya at the crease.
19.1 PAKISTAN BREAK THE PARTNERSHIP
Pandya (40) had struggled against spin and Pakistan drew first blood when the all-rounder attempted to smash the ball on the leg side, only to edge the delivery to the covers where captain Babar Azam pouched the catch.
19.2 KARTHIK ROTATES STRIKE
New batsman Dinesh Karthik went on the front foot as soon as he got in and made contact with a full toss to take a single and hand the in-form Kohli the strike.
19.3 FOUR BALLS, 15 TO GET
Kohli directs a yorker to long on and takes two to keep the strike. Three balls, 13 required.
19.4 THE PENDULUM SHIFTS
Nawaz’s high full toss is smashed by Kohli over deep square leg, where the fielder on the ropes gets a hand to it but fails to keep the ball in play and it goes for six.
The umpire also calls a no ball for height and his counterpart Marais Erasmus walks over from square leg to placate the Pakistani skipper, who was fuming over the call.
19.4 THE PRESSURE GETS TO NAWAZ
The bowler cannot keep his cool and he bowls a wide yorker – far too wide and the umpire signals a wide.
19.4 BOWLED OFF A FREE HIT
Kohli is castled as the ball strikes the off stump but he’s already running to the non-striker’s end as it is still a free hit. With the ball heading to third man, 37-year-old Karthik runs well between the wickets as they take three.
19.5 TWIST IN THE TALE
Karthik tries to make room for a shot but the ball hits his pad. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan is quick to react seeing his opposite number outside his crease, whipping the bails off to complete the stumping and handing Pakistan the advantage.
19.6 ONE BALL, TWO TO WIN, ONE TO TIE
Kohli is stranded at the non-striker’s end and the fate of the run chase is in Ravichandran Ashwin’s hands – until the pressure gets to Nawaz again and he bowls a wide down the leg side that Ashwin gleefully leaves.
19.6 INDIA SNATCH VICTORY
As Pakistan’s fielders close in to stop the single and force a Super Over, Ashwin scoops the ball over the inner circle and runs to the other end with his arms raised as the Indian fans among the 90,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground erupt in joy.
India wins by four wickets and Kohli is adjudged the player of the match for his unbeaten knock of 82 under pressure, smashing six fours and four sixes.
