The Indian cricket team, on October 23, delivered a Diwali gift to the nation by pulling off a stunning victory against Pakistan.
A spirited and dramatic comeback
Pakistan batted first and scored 159/8, thanks to Iftikhar Ahmed’s 51 and Shan Masood’s 52.
While the target of 160 was not intimidating to the star-studded batting lineup of the Indian team, the top lineup faltered, leaving the score at 31/4 by the end of the seventh over.
Things looked bleaker still as the score was 45/4 by the end of the tenth over.
However, Virat Kohli (82 not out in 53 balls) and Hardik Pandya (40) built up India’s score with a 113-run partnership.
Despite the steady run chase by the duo, India needed 54 in the final four overs.
Match got even more intense as 48 runs were needed in the last three overs (18 balls).
Virat Kohli’s sixes and boundaries pushed India’s scorecard up in the final overs, but the required 16 runs in the last over left the fate of the match hanging in the balance.
Bowling under intense pressure, Pakistan’s Nawaz delivered wides and no-balls in the final over.
Kohli was bowled in the final over, but as it was a free hit, it did not matter, and India even scored three useful byes off the ball.
India will play the Netherlands in Sydney on Thursday.