The last tournament that Pakistan hosted was the Asia Cup in 2023, conducted in a ‘Hybrid Model’ with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka. File
| Photo Credit: AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has slotted its team’s marquee Champions Trophy match against arch-foes India in Lahore on March 1 next year but the BCCI is yet to give its consent to the tentative schedule, a senior ICC Board member told PTI on July 3.

The tournament is slated from February 19 to March 9 with March 10 as Reserve Day.

It is understood PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who was invited to watch the T20 World Cup final in Barbados, submitted a 15-match schedule with all of India’s games kept in Lahore for security and logistical reasons.

“The PCB has submitted the draft of the 15-match ICC Champions Trophy. Seven games in Lahore, three in Karachi and five in Rawalpindi,” an ICC Board member said.

“The opening match will be held in Karachi with two semifinals in Karachi and Rawalpindi, final in Lahore. All India matches (including semifinal, if the team qualifies) in Lahore,” the source added.

India have been clubbed with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand in Group A. Group B comprises Australia, South Africa, England and Afghanistan.

Recently, ICC head of events Chris Tetley met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad after the world body’s security team inspected the venues and other arrangements.

The last tournament that Pakistan hosted was the Asia Cup in 2023, conducted in a ‘Hybrid Model’ with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka as the government refused to permit the players’ travel across the border.

“All board chiefs of the ICC Champions Trophy participating countries (minus BCCI) have assured him of their complete support but BCCI will consult its government and update the ICC,” the source added.

The ICC, on its part, can’t force any Board to go against its government policy and it will be interesting to see when BCCI takes a final call on the matter.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said she has directed state police to elevate security measures to ensure safety of the crowds.. File
| Photo Credit: AP

New York’s Nassau County will have unprecedented security arrangements in place for the T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan on June 9 due to the threat of a terror attack here even though state Governor Kathy Hochul insisted that it is not credible “at this time.” The Eisenhower Park Stadium at the Nassau County will host eight matches of the tournament-proper, including India’s three outings. The Indians will also play a practice game against Bangladesh here on June 1.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said she has directed state police to elevate security measures to ensure safety of the crowds.

“In preparation for the World Cup my team has been working with federal & local law enforcement to keep attendees safe. While there is no credible threat at this time, I’ve directed @nyspolice (NYPD) to elevate security measures & we’ll continue to monitor as the event nears,” Ms. Hochul said in a post on X.

A report on CNN said that New York officials are putting safety precautions in place “after terror group ISIS-K made a global threat earlier this year” against the World Cup.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said on May 29 that the event received an ISIS-K-linked threat in April.

“That was followed by more specific threats on the India versus Pakistan game, scheduled for June 9, and references to a viral video circulating online, which calls for ‘that lone wolf to act out’,” the report said.

“I can guarantee you this. This is the largest security we’ve ever had to do in this county’s history, and I can also guarantee you this – the safest place to be in Nassau County on June 9th will be inside that stadium,” Mr. Ryder said in that report.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said described the mega-event, which is likely to draw massive crowds from among the expats, as “Super Bowl on steroids”.

“There will be teams from all over the world coming in. There will be fans from all over the world coming to Nassau County…we have been meeting for well over six months on a regular basis to talk about security concerns and health care concerns, which could potentially arise at any kind of event of this magnitude”. “We take every threat seriously. There are the same procedures for every threat,” Mr. Blakeman said.

Mr. Blakeman also noted the county’s coordinated security efforts with federal partners, including the FBI, and Department of Homeland Security among others.

“To that end, we have taken many, many precautions as well as making sure that the stadium and the surrounding Eisenhower Park are safe,” he said.

The Rohit Sharma-led side will begin its campaign by taking on Ireland on June 5, followed by the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on June 9.

The team will then face hosts USA on June 12.

The terror threat to the event was first revealed by Trinidad’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley and the ICC had responded to it by asserting that a robust security cover is in place to ensure smooth conduct of the event.

“The safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place.

“We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” the ICC had stated.

Netherlands team celebrates after winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match against South Africa, at HPCA Stadium, in Dharamshala on October 17, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

For a set of activities that are governed by clear rules, unpredictability is what makes sport a compelling watch. The Netherlands’ defeat of South Africa just a few days after Afghanistan’s triumph over England in the ICC Cricket World Cup would not have been predicted by even the keenest observers of the game. Where do these upsets rank among other victories by underdogs over favourites in all World Cup games? 

To answer that question, we take recourse to the use of the Elo ratings method. Elo ratings, developed by professor Arpad Elo for games such as chess, can be replicated for other two-team sports as well. The Elo system assigns a rating to each team, using the results of previous international games. The ICC uses a similar system to rate and rank its teams but it only publishes the current rankings of each team.

 We relied upon the work of Gaurav Sood and Derek Willis (outside_edge at github) who constructed an algorithmic approach to calculate monthly Elo ratings for each ICC cricket playing nation/team, to identify the Elo ratings at the start of each World Cup. Sood and Willis had brought out ratings for each team till late 2021, but The Hindu used the same method of extracting match information from ESPNCricinfo for later ODIs and found the Elo ratings till October 2023. More involved Elo calculations that account for individual player ratings have been undertaken by others such as Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview in X) but only for Test playing nations. 

The Elo ratings of any two teams playing a game during any World Cup are an indication of their prior and recent performances and their respective strengths. The difference in their rating would indicate the gulf between the two sides. A team with a lower ELO rating, defeating one with a higher one could constitute an upset and if the Elo difference is quite high, it would qualify as a major upset. 

Table 1 | The table lists the major upsets in all games played in the World Cup till Tuesday.

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The Netherlands’ defeat of South Africa on Tuesday was despite a gulf of a whopping 457 points between the Elo ratings of the respective teams. This was the second biggest upset after Bangladesh’s defeat of Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup (Elo difference of 569 points). Afghanistan’s defeat of England on Sunday was only the 13th biggest upset, largely because the former had a better cricketing resume in the lead up to the World Cup, leading to a difference of 255 points in their Elo ratings. If not for technical reasons, this defeat would have rated 12th, as the 6th biggest upset – New Zealand losing to Kenya – was due to the former forfeiting the game after refusing to take the field in Nairobi citing security concerns. 

Table 2 | The table lists the favourite teams and the teams that won the various World Cups throughout the years.

Having the highest Elo ratings at the start of the World Cup is not always a guarantee of a team’s success as Table 2 shows. Only West Indies in 1979 and Australia in 2003 and 2015 managed to live up to their status as favourites by winning the trophy. And India in 1983 and Pakistan in 1992 were the most unfancied teams that went on to lift the World Cup. Not for nothing are Kapil’s Devils continued to be feted in India for heralding a cricketing revolution in the country. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan might be currently in the lowest ebb of his political career, but the sheer scale of his triumph as cricket captain in 1992 could explain how he managed to reach a peak in popularity in Pakistan. 

Table 3 | The table lists the Elo ratings of all the teams currently playing in the 2023 World Cup.

 (With technical inputs from Rishywanth Ambalam)

Source: ESPNCricinfo, outside_edge at github (Work of Gaurav Sood and Derek Willis)

Also read: Rohit Sharma on par with AB de Villiers and Viv Richards in World Cup performances | Data

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Indian cricket fans watch the match between India and Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad on October 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI

India’s cricket in the World Cup so far has been excellent. Things are falling into place with a rapidity that must worry the other teams, although one hopes that New Zealand get a fair tilt. They were denied in 2019 when they lost the final to England through a combination of bad luck, bad rules and bad umpiring.

However, in denying visas for fans from Pakistan, India have displayed a churlishness that sits badly on a nation of its size and influence. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has been acting like an arm of the government since the Home Minister’s son took over as its secretary. In India, sport is politics.

The most telling comment after the much-hyped but ultimately one-sided India-Pakistan encounter came from Pakistan’s team director Mickey Arthur. “It didn’t seem like an International Cricket Council (ICC) event; it seemed like a (domestic) BCCI event,” he said referring to the lack of Pakistan supporters in the vast Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.

The website ESPNcricinfo calculated there were just four American-Pakistanis to cheer the team. Only a handful of journalists got visas. In 2011, about 6,500 visas were issued for fans from Pakistan for the semifinal in Mohali where India and Pakistan met.

Sport can divide peoples just as easily as it can bring them together if that is what the government of the day wants.

Pakistan has been painted as India’s ‘other’, the enemy who encourages terrorism. As a political entity, Pakistan have lived up to this image often enough, with the attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and the wars fought between the two countries a matter of historical record.

The worst insult a politician (and the trolling fraternity) can deliver to a dissenting citizen is: “Go live in Pakistan!” Nuance is not a quality either possesses. You can, however, cheer for an India win while bemoaning that fans of the other side were not allowed into the country. Once it was decided that the cricket team was welcome, visas for fans should have followed.

That the visas for the team were delayed, as was the visa for the Pakistan-born Australian opener Usman Khwaja when that country toured earlier points to a pattern.

Sporting competition is not just about two teams facing each other. If that were the case, we wouldn’t need big stadiums. Supporters play a role too, cheering and living vicariously through the feats of those actually performing.

Whenever Indian and Pakistani fans have got together to watch their teams, they have been grateful for the chance. Many wear outfits with half the colours of one team and half the other’s. Some carry flags stitched together to emphasise oneness. Each group has supported its own team. Some sections from both groups have tended to overdo things, but that is not unusual.

Player-taunting

Pakistani players were taunted with religious chants in Ahmedabad. This is in keeping with the attitude of the visa-denying authorities. Pakistani fans have taunted Indian players too in the past. In fact, player-taunting is a traditional sport in stadiums around the world. There are rules in place to handle racism in the chants, but none that deal with religion or gender identity.

It is ironical that for all their animosity towards Pakistan, the authorities love an India-Pakistan cricket match. It is a huge money-spinner, it gives politicians an opportunity to be seen by millions on television (the Home Minister was seen waving the victory sign once it became clear India were winning), and there is the feel-good factor which distracts from political, social and economic issues. It is the same in Pakistan too.

The fond hope now is that the two clash in the final at the same venue. It will be interesting to see politicians appear or disappear depending on how their team is faring. There is a chance that the teams might meet earlier, in the semifinal; if they do, then obviously only one will play the final.

Now with India hoping to bid for the 2036 Olympics, they will have to work on ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), the theme that was given yet another airing at the G20 meeting recently. The International Olympic Committee may not take kindly to selective hosting.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in congratulating Team India for their historic win over Pakistan in the World Cup this evening. 

“I congratulate Team India on this historic victory,” PM Modi said.

India maintained its dominance over Pakistan in the ODI World Cup history with a seven-wicket win in Ahmedabad. This was India’s record-extending eighth win over their arch-rivals at the mega event. 

India’s bowling attack contributed equally as the side bundled out Pakistan for 191 runs after skipper Rohit Sharma opted to bowl first. Babar Azam (50) and Mohammad Rizwan (49) looked promising but the other Pakistan batters failed to make a mark. 

For India, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj scalped two wickets each. 

In response, Rohit Sharma’s momentous 86-run knock and Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 53 guided India home.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam along with Mohammad Rizwan during practice at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on October 13, 2023.
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

Ahead of the high-intensity clash with India in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad, Pakistan captain Babar Azam said on Friday that the pressure of providing tickets for the game is more compared to the match itself.

The rivalry between India and Pakistan in cricket is one of the most fierce in the world, with matches between the two countries receiving significant global viewership.

After registering two back-to-back wins, India, riding on high confidence will face traditional rival Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

“There is more pressure for match tickets than match,” Babar said in the pre-match press conference.

“It is not a pressure match for us. We have played each other a lot of times. We got a lot of support in Hyderabad and we hope the same for Ahmedabad. What matters is what we can do best as a team in both batting and bowling. In these conditions the margin of error for bowlers is minimal.” the Pakistan skipper said.

“Experience helps you play better when I was a youngster I used to get nervous but there are seniors who help you out,” he added.

Babar showed confidence that they would win the match against India, leaving all the records suggesting India as a strong team behind.

“I think what has happened in the past is not important. We want to live in present. I think we can do well. India-Pakistan match is high-intensity. Believe in ourselves. There are a lot of fans coming. I think we have an opportunity to do well in front of fans,” he further stated.

“We plan accordingly as in the first 10 overs the wicket is different and after 10 overs it is different. So, we have to plan accordingly. We will miss Naseem Shah. Shaheen is our best bowler. We believe in him and he believes in himself. One or two matches of bad performance do not bother us.”

Babar mentioned Pakistan’s T20I World Cup win against India and said that they will repeat the same in the ODI World Cup at Ahmedabad.

“In 2021 we beat India in T20 WC. I think we can do that here as well. I have not scored many runs in this World Cup till now and I hope it changes. You need to field well if you want to do well in the World Cup. We are working on it. Fielding is about attitude,” he concluded.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan (centre) looks out as Pakistan’s team bus departs upon landing at the airport in Ahmedabad on October 11, 2023, ahead of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan.
| Photo Credit: AFP

The famed Indian hospitality was at its best once again here on Thursday as the Pakistan squad received a grand welcome at the team hotel following an in-flight celebration, ahead of their marquee World Cup game against arch rivals India.

Upon their arrival at the hotel here, Pakistan players received a warm welcome with a shower of flower petals and balloons, traditional scarves, the sound of dhols combined with a dance performance. It followed a cake cutting ceremony which was organised by the cabin crew of the carrier that flew them into Ahmedabad from Hyderabad.

Delighted at the reception its players received, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) posted a video on X, capturing the moments.

“Touchdown Ahmedabad. Capturing the journey, featuring a surprise in-flight celebration,” the PCB captioned the video.

Tight security has been put in place for the high-profile match to be played on Saturday.

The city had been turned into a fortress and it will be secured by more than 11,000 members of the Gujarat police, National Security Guard (NSG), Rapid Action Force (RAF) and home guards.

Pakistan were based in Hyderabad since their arrival in India after a gap of seven years, playing four games including two warm-up clashes and continued to receive a lot of attention from fans and the media.

The Babar Azam-led side felt being ‘at home’ in Hyderabad as a large crowd in support of the neighbours turned up at the airport on September 27, and particularly for their last match at the stadium in Uppal against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan are coming into the match after a comprehensive win over Sri Lanka in which they pulled off the highest run chase in the history of World Cup.

Batting second in Hyderabad, Pakistan were set a daunting target of 345 by Sri Lanka after centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

However, the Pakistan team chased it down with six wickets in hand, courtesy blazing tons by Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan.

The hosts India, too, will enter the contest on the back of two comfortable victories against Australia and Afghanistan.

India’s KL Rahul plays a shot during the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo.
| Photo Credit: AP

Virat Kohli was brilliant in pacing his innings as usual but India captain Rohit Sharma doffed his hat for comeback man KL Rahul, whose hundred was equally important in team’s record breaking 228-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in an Asia Cup Super 4 match here on Monday.

Kohli scored an unbeaten on 122 and Rahul remained 111 not out as their 233-run stand for the third wicket took India to a record equalling 356 for two. Kuldeep Yadav blew away the Pakistan batters with a five-wicket haul to set up the big win.

“Virat’s innings was brilliantly paced. And then KL, last minute to get back from injury and play 5 minutes before the toss. We told him to get ready. Shows the mindset of the player. Looking at how we batted, there were lots of positives with the openers and then Virat and KL,” said Rohit.

The Indian skipper himself scored an attacking fifty to set the platform and couldn’t be happier that his team ticked all boxes in a near-flawless performance.

“It was a fantastic performance, right from yesterday. When we started, we knew the wicket was good and we had to adjust with the rain, the two experienced guys we knew they’d take time to get their eye in and then we can get going.” It was also Jasprit Bumrah’s first chance to roll his arm in an ODI game after his comeback from a back surgery.

“He looked good. He swung it both ways and he’s worked really hard for the last 8-10 months. Bumrah is only 27 (nearly 30), for him to miss games isn’t ideal but the way he bowled showed what he is all about,” Rohit said.

The skipper also thanked the Premadasa ground staff for their tireless work to get a full game despite multiple stoppages through the last two days.

“We just wanted to get out on the park, to get some game time. Lot of guys haven’t had that. That could only happen thanks to a great effort from the groundsmen. I know how tough it is to cover and remove covers from the whole ground. On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank them.”

Virat Kohli (122 not out), Kuldeep Yadav (5 for 25) and K.L. Rahul (111 not out) shone during the Asia Cup 2023 super 4 against Pakistan in Colombo on September 11, 2023
| Photo Credit: PTI/AP/PTI

The reserve day was added at the last minute, primarily to ensure the broadcaster gets the most out of a marquee clash between India and Pakistan. And the additional day’s play resulted in the broadcaster and the Men in Blue making the most of it.

Not only did India register a facile 228-run win in its opening Super 4s fixture in the Asia Cup against Pakistan, but Rohit Sharma and Co. have ticked virtually all the boxes it desired for, over two days.

If Rohit and Shubman Gill had given India a rollicking start at the R. Premadasa on September 10, Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul topped it up in a stylish manner. The result was India raced to a gargantuan 356 for two, its joint-highest total against Pakistan in ODIs.

Considering the fact that no team has successfully chased a 301-plus target at the venue, Kohli, who notched up his 47th ODI ton in a nonchalant manner, and Rahul, who registered a stylish hundred on his first competitive outing after a four-month injury lay-off, had virtually batted Pakistan out of the game.

An all-round bowling performance helped India seal the deal with 18 overs to spare. The complete performance saw Kuldeep Yadav, who struggled for rhythm against Nepal in the group stage, bamboozle the Pakistan batters after the pacers had cleaned up the top order.

The day saw two rain breaks. While the first one delayed the resumption of the game by 100 minutes, the second one — with Pakistan reeling at 44 for two in 11 overs — lasted over an hour before the action resumed for India to persist its quest for excellence.

Pakistan, on the other hand, had a forgettable day. After losing Haris Rauf’s services to a strain he had on Sunday, Naseem Shah — the pick of the pacers — also couldn’t complete his full quota. Later in the chase, Agha Salman top-edged a reverse sweep to get a cut near his eye.

On the field though, Kohli, Rahul and Kuldeep were the star acts. While Rahul preferred to earn his runs by balancing strike rotation with the big hits, Kohli was at his best when it came to tiring the bowlers and the fielders simultaneously.

Despite hitting only six fours and two sixes, Kohli had raced to an 84-ball hundred, tapping the ball close to his bat off Shaheen Shah Afridi for a quick single to reach the landmark in the 48th over. The last five overs — despite the duo closing in on the individual landmark — saw India clobber 56 runs, thus helping it cross the 350-run mark.

Once Jasprit Bumrah had forced Imam-ul-Haq to nick one to Gill at second slip, Hardik Pandya bowled the ball of the day to dismiss Babar Azam. The Pakistan captain had no answer to one that jagged back in after pitching to strike into the timber.

Soon after the break, Shardul Thakur proved his utility by seeing Mohammad Rizwan’s back. Then on, for the remaining night, it was a Kuldeep show as the Pakistan middle- and lower-order was made to look mediocre by Kuldeep’s artistry.

With the two injured pacers not taking the field, Kuldeep wound up the game by getting through Faheem Ashram’s defence and earned a deserving fifer. The early finish also gave India additional rest before readying itself for Tuesday’s clash against Sri Lanka.\

Scoreboard

India innings: Rohit Sharma c Ashraf b Shadab 56 Shubman Gill c Salman b Afridi 58 Virat Kohli not out 122 KL Rahul not out 111 Extras: 9 (nb-1, w-8) Total: 356/2 in 50 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-121, 2-123

Pakistan bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 10-0-79-1, Naseem Shah 9.2-1-53-0, Faheem Ashraf 10-0-74-0, Haris Rauf 5-0-27-0, Shadab Khan 10-1-71-1, Iftikhar Ahmed 5.4-0-52-0.

Pakistan innings: Fakhar Zaman b Kuldeep Yadav 27 Imam-ul-Haqc Shubman Gill b Bumrah 9 Babar Azam b Hardik Pandya 10 Mohammad Rizwan c Rahul b Thakur 2 Agha Salman lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 23 Iftikhar Ahmed c and b Kuldeep Yadav 23 Shadab Khan c Thakur b Kuldeep Yadav 6 Faheem Ashraf b Kuldeep Yadav 4 Shaheen Afridi not out 7 Naseem Shah absent hurt Haris Rauf absent hurt Extras (lb 3, w 14) 17

Total (10 wickets, 32 overs) 128

Fall of Wickets 1-17, 2-43, 3-47, 4-77, 5-96, 6-110, 7-119, 8-128

India bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 5-1-18-1, Mohammed Siraj 5-0-23-0, Hardik Pandya 5-0-17-1, Shardul Thakur 4-0-16-1, Kuldeep Yadav 8-0-25-5, Ravindra Jadeja 5-0-26-0.

(With inputs from PTI)

Groundsmen cover the wicket after rain stops play during the Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium on September 10, 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

One hundred and twelve minutes of intense action, followed by almost four hours’ agonising wait, ended up with rain emerging as the winner in the high-octane Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan for the second weekend in succession.

However, unlike in Pallekele last Saturday, the teams will resume the Super 4s clash on Monday, with India placed at 147 for two in 24.1 overs. Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul — who was drafted in only because Shreyas Iyer hurt his back minutes before the toss — will resume India’s innings at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Monday afternoon.

With a reserve day having been added at the eleventh hour only for the marquee clash, it will be interesting to see if a maximum of about 76 overs’ play is possible on Monday. Had the game resumed on Sunday night after a heavy downpour — that lasted over an hour and a half and took as much time for the groundstaff to make the ground playable — it would have been a shortened game.

But just when the umpires were walking out for a final inspection, the skies opened up again at 8.30 p.m. and the game was suspended at 8.45 p.m.

Earlier in the afternoon, however, under a scorching sun, India captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill reigned supreme against Pakistan’s pace battery in an entertaining duel.

Rohit flicked Shaheen Shah Afridi off the last ball of the opening over for a six over square-leg. Gill took the cue in Afridi’s next over, showing his class with punches. He repeated the three boundaries in the fifth over as well, including an aerial drive over mid-on after charging down the wicket.

While Afridi was hammered for 31 runs in his three overs, Naseem Shah bowled an exceptional spell from the other end. Neither Rohit, who went into a defensive mode, nor Gill could find an answer to counter Naseem. Had Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman not been ball-watching at the first and second slip, respectively, in the eighth over, Gill’s edge could have been caught and Naseem deservingly rewarded.

Gill continued to score freely from the other end. As if he was waiting for spin, Rohit exploded once Shadab Khan’s leg-spin was introduced. The 9 balls he faced off Shadab in his first two overs fetched Rohit a whopping 28 runs, with Rohit clearing the field easily.

It resulted in both Rohit and Gill having notched up their fifties, with India in control. However, moments after the drinks break, Rohit miscued an inside-out drive and Faheem Ashraf took an excellent catch running in to his left from long-off.

In the next over, Gill was deceived by Afridi’s leg-cutter and Salman did not falter at covers. It meant Kohli and Rahul had to be cautious for a while. Just when Rahul appeared to get his touch back did the skies open up. And even before the groundstaff could cover the outfield, three wet patches in the outfield had developed due to the heavy downpour that prevented any further play.

Playing XIs:

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.