Brad Hogg, the former Australia spinner, reserved praise for Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav’s brief rescue act in the powerplay. After India was reduced to 6-2, losing Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul early in the third over, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav put up a 25 run stand in 20 deliveries.
With Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in full flow, Pakistan was going all-out for more wickets in the powerplay. However, Suryakumar Yadav reduced the pressure with a flashy six that just evaded the fielder in the deep. In the powerplay, the left-arm pacer bowled his third straight over and had Virat Kohli on the ropes with three consecutive dot balls. The Indian skipper responded with a six-over long-on after coming down the track.
Brad Hogg: It Was Awesome To Watch Counter Attacking Batting Display By Virat Kohli And Suryakumar Yadav Off Shaheen Shah Afridi
The small exchange drew praise from Brad Hogg, who termed that it was awesome to watch the counter-attacking batting display.
“Virat Kohli played a wonderful shot straight past over the bowler’s head, that was just counter-attacking play and it was awesome cricket to watch. Even Suryakumar Yadav playing that pull shot off Shaheen Afridi was great. That is just courageous, aggressive cricket and if both of them had got out on those particular deliveries, everyone would have been screaming about it, but at some stage India had to take the risk,” said Brad Hogg.
The rebuild, however, did not last long as Suryakumar Yadav perished to Hasan Ali in the final over of the powerplay. Mohammad Rizwan took a sharp catch behind the stumps, which also marked his 100th catch in T20 cricket. While Pakistan batted, skipper and opener Babar Azam stroked his way to 68 while his opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan, smashed 79 as the Indian bowlers struggled to contain the two batters.
Earlier, Virat Kohli’s half-century helped India recover from a disastrous start and post 151/7 against Pakistan in Sunday’s ICC T20 World Cup match. Besides Virat Kohli’s 49-ball 57, Rishabh Pant slammed 39 in 30 deliveries.
Brad Hogg: Shaheen Shah Afridi Was Too Good As It Was Sensational Left Arm Bowling Upfront
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exploits with the ball carved open the Indian batting unit. However, his angle, pace, and little movement offered were too hot for the Men In Blue to handle. Brad Hogg noted how crucial Pakistan’s pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi’s match-up against Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s likes, heading into the contest.
Hogg added: “Shaheen Afridi was just too good. This was a worry for me. Shaheen Shan and Haris Rauf, two young fast bowlers, playing such a high-profile match, the emotions might get to them. He was just on the money from ball one. It was just sensational left-arm bowling upfront. His matchups against Rohit and Kohli were key heading into this match but getting Rahul out was unbelievable,” Hogg explained.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was adjudged as the player of the match as Pakistan registered their first win over India in World Cups. Both sides next face New Zealand, a set of fixtures that could arguably seal the fate of the group.
Pakistan thus brought to an end India’s near-three-decade domination of them in the world stage in the most convincing fashion, embarrassing their arch-rivals by 10 wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The law of averages had to catch up with India sooner or later after having won seven ODI and five T20 World Cup games since they first met at Sydney in 1992.