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India 129 for 2 (Kohli 78, Sehwag 29) beat Pakistan 128 (Malik 28, Balaji 3-22, Ashwin 2-16, Yuvraj 2-16) by eight wickets
India-Pakistan matches - never mind the tournament context - often tend to be a contest as much of nerves as of cricketing skills. Keeping in with recent times, where India have tended to come out the mentally stronger sides, Pakistan batsmen tried too much and imploded to waste a dream start and post the lowest total of the Super Eights stage of this World Twenty20. Virat Kohli, who had scored 183 in his previous match against Pakistan, then steered the chase of 129 with his eighth fifty-plus score in his last 11 international innings.
This was a game where one of two jinxes would be survived. It was India, who posted their first Super Eights win in World Twenty20s since 2007. Pakistan are still without a win over India in any World Cup match. Pakistan were every bit a team with a bogey attached to them. They tried flamboyance with the bat and failed, and didn't show heart to back up their talented bowling. India, on the other hand, did the small things well after a nervous start, and were there to accept every opportunity that Pakistan presented.
Enthusiastic and anxious in same measure, Pakistan began with 26 runs and five boundaries in the first two overs, but froze in the coming overs, including captain Mohammad Hafeez who scored 15 off 28, and they took 6.5 overs to score the next 26. Pakistan played 59 dot balls against bowling that was steady at best. Add to that two balls they didn't even make India bowl.
India-Pakistan matches - never mind the tournament context - often tend to be a contest as much of nerves as of cricketing skills. Keeping in with recent times, where India have tended to come out the mentally stronger sides, Pakistan batsmen tried too much and imploded to waste a dream start and post the lowest total of the Super Eights stage of this World Twenty20. Virat Kohli, who had scored 183 in his previous match against Pakistan, then steered the chase of 129 with his eighth fifty-plus score in his last 11 international innings.
This was a game where one of two jinxes would be survived. It was India, who posted their first Super Eights win in World Twenty20s since 2007. Pakistan are still without a win over India in any World Cup match. Pakistan were every bit a team with a bogey attached to them. They tried flamboyance with the bat and failed, and didn't show heart to back up their talented bowling. India, on the other hand, did the small things well after a nervous start, and were there to accept every opportunity that Pakistan presented.
Enthusiastic and anxious in same measure, Pakistan began with 26 runs and five boundaries in the first two overs, but froze in the coming overs, including captain Mohammad Hafeez who scored 15 off 28, and they took 6.5 overs to score the next 26. Pakistan played 59 dot balls against bowling that was steady at best. Add to that two balls they didn't even make India bowl.