Cricket

India's stunning six-run victory over Pakistan in New York marked a remarkable comeback and secured their place in the Super-8s of the T20 World Cup. Despite a disastrous start, the Indian team rallied behind exceptional bowling performances to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.After losing the toss and being dismissed for a meager 119, India's hopes seemed bleak. However, Pakistan's promising start of 80-4 in the 15th over was abruptly halted by Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance. His dismissal of Mohammed Rizwan ignited a spark in the Indian bowlers, who chipped in with crucial wickets.Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya played pivotal roles, removing Shadab Khan and restricting Pakistan's scoring. The match reached its climax in the 19th over, with Pakistan needing 21 runs and Bumrah back in action. The champion bowler delivered, bowling back of the length and preventing Ifthikar Ahmed and Imad Wasim from connecting.Earlier, India's batting had faltered after a promising start. Rishabh Pant's gutsy 42 and partnerships with Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav had given India hope. However, the pitch's two-paced nature exposed India's batting weaknesses.Haris Rauf's dismissal of Suryakumar Yadav triggered a collapse, with India losing seven wickets for 28 runs. Shivam Dube's poor form continued, while Mohammed Amir's comeback was marked by a brilliant spell that included the wickets of Pant and Ravindra Jadeja.Despite the batting debacle, India's bowlers rose to the occasion. Bumrah's exceptional performance, supported by Arshdeep Singh's crucial runs, proved decisive. The victory was a testament to India's resilience and the fighting spirit that has characterized their recent performances.

Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, expressed his delight with the bowling unit's performance in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Sri Lanka. Despite Sri Lanka's strong start, the Bangladesh bowlers rallied to restrict them to a modest 124 for 9.Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain were the standout performers, claiming three wickets each, while Taskin Ahmed chipped in with two. Hathurusinghe praised Mustafizur's confidence and the bowling unit's collective ownership of their plans."The way the bowling unit has taken ownership of the situation and plans, it was very impressive," Hathurusinghe said. "My coaching staff is doing a good job by giving them a lot of information, but they are the ones making all the decisions in the middle."Hathurusinghe singled out legspinner Rishad's performance as the "most pleasing thing" from Bangladesh's victory. Rishad's three wickets in two overs triggered Sri Lanka's collapse."We backed him [Rishad] for a year. We knew that he is going to win games for us," Hathurusinghe said. "Winning that game was important. It was very satisfying. You know how challenging it is for us to get a legspinner into the team."However, Hathurusinghe acknowledged that the batters who are struggling with form need to regain their confidence. Soumya Sarkar, captain Shanto, and Tanzid Hasan were dismissed cheaply against Sri Lanka."We talk about their game, their strength, and their opposition. But once they [the batters] get into the middle, they are on their own. They need to understand their game and how they feel," Hathurusinghe said. "It is not technical. If you look at the dismissals, they are not getting out in a certain way.""I think they need to calm down and think about their strength. When you are confident, you play to your strength. That's the message for any batter: remember your actions when you are doing well."In the chase, Bangladesh lost three wickets in the powerplay before Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah steadied the innings. Mahmudullah's unbeaten 16 guided Bangladesh to victory."I was always impressed with his [Mahmudullah's] ability to finish games, that's why he is batting where he is batting," Hathurusinghe said. "He has a lot of experience. He is one of the calmest guys in the middle under pressure in our team. He knows his role."Hathurusinghe also praised Litton Das for his 36-run knock, but emphasized that the other batters need to step up."Lately, we have been inconsistent. It is a difficult format to take time to get in form. You have to get going from the start. Confidence plays a big part in T20 cricket," he said. "Some of the batters are short of runs. They train well, but it is the lack of confidence due to lack of runs."

India's Batting Collapse Costs Them Dear in T20 World Cup Match Against PakistanIndia's hopes of a strong start to their T20 World Cup campaign were dashed on Sunday as they suffered a dramatic batting collapse against arch-rivals Pakistan in New York. After losing the toss and being put into bat, India's openers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to make a significant impact, leaving the team in a precarious position.Despite a promising start from Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant, India's middle order crumbled under pressure. Suryakumar Yadav's dismissal at 89 in the 12th over triggered a collapse, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Hardik Pandya, India's last hope, failed to make a substantial contribution, resulting in India posting a modest total of 119 runs in 19 overs.Pakistan's pace attack, led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, delivered a stellar performance, living up to the expectations of their captain, Babar Azam. The duo set the stage by dismissing both Indian openers early in the innings. Naseem struck again after the Powerplay, but Pakistan struggled to control the flow of runs and displayed some lapses in their bowling. However, when called upon to break a thriving partnership, Haris Rauf stepped up and provided Pakistan with a crucial breakthrough.Naseem Shah and Mohammad Amir soon joined the wicket-taking spree, and the trio maintained the pressure on the Indian batting lineup. Despite a hint of complacency creeping into their fielding towards the end, they managed to bowl out India for the first time in a T20I match, preventing them from staging a recovery.India's batting collapse was a major disappointment, as they had been expected to put up a strong fight against their arch-rivals. The team's inability to build partnerships and capitalize on their starts proved costly. Pakistan, on the other hand, showed great discipline and execution with their bowling, setting the tone for a potentially successful tournament.

Sunil Gavaskar Slams Indian Batters for "Arrogant and Reckless" Display in T20 World Cup Loss to PakistanLegendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has launched a scathing attack on the Indian batting lineup after their dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan. India was bundled out for a paltry 119, losing their last seven wickets for just 30 runs.Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports during the mid-innings show, expressed his disappointment with the Indian batters' approach. "The performance was disappointing. I think they were arrogant and reckless," he said. "There was an arrogance in the way they started as they were looking to hit every ball. This is not an Ireland attack. This is not an ordinary attack."Gavaskar criticized the Indian batters for failing to adapt to the match conditions. "There should have been just that little bit of respect given when the ball is moving quite a bit," he said. "And then, getting out with one over left tells you that you are probably not in the right kind of thinking."Pakistan's bowlers were relentless in their attack, with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf taking three wickets each and Mohammad Amir claiming two. Rishabh Pant was the only Indian batter to offer any resistance, scoring 42 off 31 deliveries.Gavaskar's criticism is a reflection of the growing frustration among Indian fans with the team's recent performances. India has struggled to find consistency in the T20 format, and their batting has been particularly vulnerable.The loss to Pakistan has put India in a precarious position in the tournament. They will need to win their remaining matches convincingly to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Imran Khan's Supporters Fly 'Release Imran Khan' Banner Over India-Pakistan T20 World Cup MatchDuring the highly anticipated India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match in New York on Sunday, an aircraft carrying the message "Release Imran Khan" was spotted flying over the stadium. The incident sparked controversy and drew attention to the ongoing political situation in Pakistan.Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023 on multiple charges, including the Toshakhana case, cipher case, and un-Islamic marriage case. His supporters have been demanding his release, and the aircraft banner was a symbolic gesture of their support.The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Khan's political party, posted a video of the incident on their Twitter handle, captioned "Release Imran Khan." The video quickly went viral, garnering widespread attention.Khan, who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 ODI World Cup, remains a popular figure in the country. His supporters believe that he was unfairly removed from power and that the charges against him are politically motivated.The incident occurred during a highly charged match between India and Pakistan, two nations with a long-standing rivalry. The match was being played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, and emotions were running high among the passionate fans in the stands.India, led by Rohit Sharma, won the toss and opted to bat first. Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, made one change to their lineup, replacing Azam Khan with Imad Wasim.India scored 81 runs for the loss of three wickets in 10 overs, with Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav at the crease. Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi claimed two and one wickets respectively for Pakistan.The match is still ongoing, and the outcome remains uncertain. However, the "Release Imran Khan" banner has added an extra layer of intrigue to the already intense rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Indian cricket team batter Virat Kohli's struggles continued in the T20 World Cup 2024 as he was dismissed for just 4 during the match against Pakistan on Sunday. Kohli's poor form has become a major concern for the Indian team, as he has now failed to score a half-century in his last 10 international innings.Kohli's dismissal against Pakistan was particularly disappointing, as he played a loose shot to gift his wicket to Naseem Shah. During the second over of the match, a delivery from Naseem was well wide off the off stump, but Kohli decided to chase it and his ill-timed shot went straight into Usman Khan's hands.Kohli's dismissal left India reeling at 4/2, and they eventually went on to lose the match by 10 wickets. The defeat was a major setback for India, as it leaves them with a lot of work to do if they want to qualify for the semi-finals.Kohli's poor form has been a major talking point in recent months, and there have been calls for him to be dropped from the team. However, the Indian team management has continued to back Kohli, and they will be hoping that he can rediscover his form soon.

Legendary West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle has predicted India as the favorites ahead of their highly anticipated T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan on Sunday. India began their campaign with a victory over Ireland, while Pakistan suffered a setback in a Super Over defeat to co-hosts USA.Gayle acknowledged that Pakistan faces a significant challenge, stating, "Their backs are up against the wall, and coming off a loss like that straight into playing a team like India, who traditionally have the upper hand in these games, is a huge challenge."However, Gayle emphasized that underestimating the rivalry between the two nations would be a mistake. "India are in the driver's seat, definitely a more relaxed seat. But this is India versus Pakistan at a World Cup, so you can take nothing for granted," he added.Gayle believes Pakistan must regroup quickly to pose a threat to India. "As for Pakistan, they have no time to waste. They have to re-group for the biggest game of the tournament against India in New York City – that's just got even bigger," he said.Despite India's perceived advantage, Gayle believes the USA's victory over Pakistan is a positive development for cricket. "Like the rest of the cricketing world, I was gripped by the USA's victory over Pakistan. It is a huge result which is not only incredible for them but massive for cricket as a whole," he said."You always expect a few upsets at World Cups, and having started well by beating Canada, USA put Pakistan under the pump for pretty much the whole game. I think it marks the day the World Cup really started," he noted.Gayle highlighted the importance of this tournament for the West Indies, which failed to qualify for last year's 50-over World Cup in India. "Having not qualified for the last ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, this tournament is so important for cricket in the Caribbean," he said. "This is a huge thing for the players to step up and be counted."

Rohit Sharma's Coin Conundrum: A Moment of Amnesia at the T20 World CupIn a moment of forgetfulness that has become a viral sensation, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma momentarily misplaced the coin during the toss for the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in New York. As the match referee and Ravi Shastri pondered the whereabouts of the coin, Rohit reached into his pocket and retrieved it, much to the amusement of everyone present, including Pakistan captain Babar Azam.The incident occurred after a half-hour delay due to light rain. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that raised eyebrows given India's formidable batting lineup. The pre-tournament favorites, India, had already secured a victory against Ireland in their opening game, while Pakistan was looking to bounce back from a surprising defeat to co-hosts USA.Pakistan welcomed back all-rounder Imad Wasim, who had missed their opening game due to a rib injury. Azam Khan was the only player to miss out for Pakistan, while India remained unchanged. The pitch at the New York venue has been criticized for its low-scoring games and uneven bounce, with organizers acknowledging its inconsistency.Despite the coin mishap, Rohit Sharma and his team remained focused on the task at hand. India's batting lineup, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav, will be eager to prove their mettle against a formidable Pakistan bowling attack led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the world's top cricket nations. India will be looking to extend their winning streak and solidify their position at the top of Group A, while Pakistan will be determined to salvage their campaign and prove that their opening-game defeat was merely a blip.

Pakistan Replaces Azam Khan with Imad Wasim for Crucial India ClashIn a highly anticipated Group A match of the Men's T20 World Cup, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The toss was delayed by 30 minutes due to slight rain, with cloudy and windy conditions prevailing.Pakistan made a significant change to their playing eleven, bringing in all-rounder Imad Wasim in place of batter Azam Khan. Wasim returns after recovering from a side strain that kept him out of Pakistan's surprising loss to co-hosts USA in their tournament opener.Pakistan captain Babar Azam explained the decision to bowl first, citing the weather and moisture in the pitch. "We will bowl first because of the weather and moisture in the pitch," he said.India, led by Rohit Sharma, remained unchanged from their opening match victory against Ireland. Sharma also expressed his preference for bowling first, acknowledging the need to assess the conditions and determine a competitive score."We need to assess how conditions play and come up with an idea of what a good score is," Sharma said. "Those games have helped us assess conditions here."The match will be played on the same pitch that hosted the Netherlands-South Africa clash on Saturday, which the Proteas won by four wickets. India holds a 6-1 head-to-head record against Pakistan in Men's T20 World Cup meetings, with the last five matches being won by the chasing side.