India remains invincible to Pakistan in World Cups, recording their 11th consecutive win against the arch rivals. In their second game in the World T20, India beat Pakistan by six wickets.
It was all about Virat Kohli - the mastery and artistry of a world class batsman that made it so easy for India. Kohli had overpowered the unpredictably turning track and 145km/h deliveries of Pak pacers with a cool head.
Chasing a target of 119 runs in a rain-affected 18 over match, the home side finished things in just 15.5 overs with six wickets in hand. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 55 off 37 balls aided by a poised 24 by Yuvraj Singh.
India's Virat Kohli(L) shakes hand with Pakistan's captain Shahid Afridi in the World T20 cricket match between India and Pakistan on March 19, 2016.
Dhoni played the finisher’s role once again with a nine ball 13. On a wicket where Indian spinners turned the ball in ‘square angles’, Pakistan bowlers failed to reap any benefits.
Earlier, on a wet ground Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after winning the toss, had decided to send the opponents to experiment in the middle.
The pitch started showing off its true colours in the very second over, when Indian off spinner R Aswhin did beat Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad with some unbelievable turn. The last delivery of Aswhin’s second over had deviated as much as 127 centimetres from its original direction by the time it reached the batsman.
Not only the spinners Aswhin, Ravindra Jadeja or Suresh Raina, but the Indian fast bowlers also have extracted some sharp turn from the pitch with slow paced cutters. Batsmen were forced to dance at the crease in order to find the direction of the ball.
India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) and teammate Suresh Raina (C) look on as Pakistan's Sharjeel Khan (R) plays a shot Source: Getty Images
After some steadying efforts by the openers and a quick dismissal of captain Shahid Afridi (8), it was the late-over heroics by Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal that took Pakistan to a total of 5/118. From 16 balls each, Malik has scored 26 and Akmal 22.
“It was a challenging wicket, that’w what you want as a cricketer,” said Virat Kohli after the match. “A good pitch, a good bowling attack and you pulling your team out of trouble.”
This win has helped India to remain a strong contender in the tournament, after losing to New Zealand in their first encounter. Pakistan lost the advantage it had after the first win against Bangladesh on the same venue.
Pakistan's Shoaib Malik (L), Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi (C) and Wahab Riaz (2L) celebrate after dismissing India's Yuvraj Singh. Source: Getty Images
Eden Garden at its best
As anticipated, the atmosphere was electric at Eden Gardens. Even the heavy thunderstorms that poured in before the match could not kill the mood; It could only cut down the the match by four overs.
Who does’t want to have a place in the gallery when India faces Pakistan? Bollywood stars including Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, celebrated Pak singer Shafqat Amanat Ali, cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Imran Khan, Steve Waugh, Virender Sehwag and Wasim Akram were among a few celebrities who joined the 62,000 fans in the gallery.
Legends felicitated at Eden Garden
Fans video at Eden Garden
Fans video at Eden Garden 2
The customary national anthems before the match were sung by Amanat Ali and Amitabh Bachchan for Pakistan and India respectively.
Amitabh Bachchan singing Indian national anthem
Pak anthem by Shafqat Amanat Ali
At the end, it was Pakistan’s misfortune to go down to India for the first time at Eden Garden in a limited over match.
What helped India win
Virat Kohli’s cool head: Kohli is knows as a master of chases. But on a pitch like this, Kohli was the only batsman who was in full control. He has middled more than 92% of the balls he faced. The first six of the game came in the 11th over of Indian innings when Kohli smashed Shoaib Malik. But he didn’t try for a single risky shot.
A good partnership: Yuvraj Singh came to the middle when India was struggling at 3/23 in the fifth over. Kohli and Yuvraj buit up a steady partnership, just as they have done in the Asia Cup recently. Singles and twos came regularly and they didn’t allow the bowlers to set in. The partnership was successful in bringing the required run-rate down below six, and maintaining it there.
Tight bowling: Even though Dhoni didn’t use Yuvraj for bowling nor did he give Aswhin his fourth over, the spinners set the game. Aswhin, Jadeja and Raina spun the ball like anything and confused the batsmen. They have ended their spells with an economy rate of five or below. Hardik Pandya gave away 25 runs in his two overs, but Ashish Nehra and Juspree Bumrah bowled tight spells.
Tweets on Kohli:
By Tom Moody: https://twitter.com/TomMoodyCricket/status/711247747425239040
What went against Pakistan
Played a spinner less: Pakistan has included an extra fast bowler - Mohammed Sami - in the team at the expense of a spinner. Even though Sami has bowled extremely well - removing Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in consecutive deliveries - the absence of a quality spinner affected them. Shoaib Malik was not able to find the same turn as his Indian counterparts and Afridi was way below his best.
Batsmen were confused: When the ball started turning miles in the very second over, the Pak openers looked baffled. They couldn’t decide on whether to attack or defend. Not a single six came in Pak innings . 55 runs came in the last five overs of Pak innings it didn’t prove enough at the end.
Death Group, still
In Grop 2, nothing is still predictable. New Zealand is ahead with two games, but Pakistan and India have one win each. Pakistan is ahead of India in the table, thanks to the run rate. Every game is still like a knock-out match for each team, because, a single defeat can cause their chances to progress.
Today’s (20 March) Games
In tonight’s matches, South Africa will play Afghanistan (3pm IST, 8.30pm AEDT) at Mumbai and Sri Lanka will face the mighty West Indies (7.30pm IST, 1.00am AEDT) at Bengaluru.
