A Virat Kohli-inspired India beat rivals Pakistan in an extraordinary finish to a Men's T20 World Cup classic at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In a finale fitting the occasion, India took 16 from a barely believable last over to successfully chase 160 with four wickets remaining in front of a raucous crowd of 90,293 - Kohli ending 82 not out. Gulf News cricket experts Ashfaq, Shyam and Satish discuss the incredible match.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Golf News Straight Back. Today in the T20 World Cup it was India against
00:13Pakistan. It was the first match for each side in the Super 12s. The last meeting between
00:19the two teams was in the Asia Cup in September and Pakistan won that by five wickets in the
00:24Super 4 stage. But today was another amazing game. So many twists and turns and in the
00:31end it was India who won by four wickets. It went down to the very last ball of the
00:35match. I'm joined today by Golf News cricket experts Ashfaq, Shyam and Satish. Guys have
00:41you caught your breath back after that amazing game? Yes. Are you still panting? We need
00:50another minute or two I think to compose ourselves. My heart is still panting. Yeah, Ashfaq's
00:57heart is still panting. Right, let's just quickly recap. Rohit Sharma, he gave the coin
01:03a flick. Barbarism called for tails, it was heads. That means India won the toss and they
01:08chose to bowl. And they fancied their chances to chase this one. But I don't think they would
01:13have realized it was going to go the way it did right down to the absolute last ball. In fact,
01:18Pakistan's captain Barbarism, he was saying that he would have also fancied to bowl first.
01:24And he was saying that he thought his team could put on a score of about 170. It wasn't far off,
01:30they got India to chase 160. But funnily enough, Barbarism didn't contribute a single run to that
01:37total. Ashfaq, Azam's poor form from the Asia Cup looks to be continuing, doesn't it? Not really.
01:47Imran, he scored good runs during the tri-series. It was sheer bad luck. I think Ashadi was right
01:53on spot. He got him off guard in the very first delivery. He was in super form today.
02:00But I hope this will not continue. If it continues, it's going to be a problem.
02:05But even Babar got out, and then Rizwan got out cheaply. Rizwan was never looking set,
02:11because the opener-paced bowlers, they just outplayed Pakistani openers.
02:19But I would say that middle order did very well today.
02:23Yeah, I mean, Ashfaq, they had a bad start. They lost those two wickets. And then they got to,
02:28I think, 90 runs. And then they had another huge collapse, 120 for seven.
02:33Eventually, they got to 159. But what was that reason for them, for the guys,
02:39especially in the middle there, not putting any runs together at all?
02:41Yeah, I disagree, Imran. Guys like Ibtekhar could have 50, then Shahnawaz did 50. Then
02:50other guys also cheap in runs. It's a 20-20 match. If you scored 15-20, Shahnawaz did 16.
02:56Good, valuable run. Baharesh Rauf hit a six in the last over. And I think they recovered very well,
03:03thanks to Ibtekhar and Shahan Masood. It was not up to the marks. Only Asif Ali got out cheaply,
03:09on a header. But all of them, they scored runs. And 160 was not a bad total at all.
03:16It was a good total on a big ground. But it's Viresh Eskoli who took it away.
03:23It was too good today. They couldn't stop him.
03:28They couldn't stop him. Shyam, there's been plenty of epic battles between these two teams
03:34in the past. But many people are already calling this one possibly the best match ever between
03:40these two. Would you agree with that? I would say this could be the best match yet.
03:46Simply because right down to the last call, you didn't know who's going to win,
03:50which I don't think was the case in any of the previous encounters. Because at the halfway
03:54stage, or even up to 15 overs, Pakistan was very much in control until that 20-run over by
04:02what do you call that, Nawaz, that left-arm spinner. Even then, it was tricky because
04:09Harish Rauf and Shah Insaf, Shah Afridi was to bowl. But Kohli took it away. He
04:15scored big in those two overs. And I think that tilted the favour.
04:20Despite that, Ramak continued into the last over. So it certainly makes it perhaps the best match
04:25ever, the 20-20 match ever between India and Pakistan. Satish, you've seen plenty of battles
04:31between these two sides. For you, where does this match rank in all the games you've ever seen?
04:38Oh, this is almost probably a shade better. But the other close one I saw was the first
04:45final between India and Pakistan in 2007, when I think Mizwa played that shot and got out in the
04:53last ball. Scoop shot.
04:54Scoop shot and then got out in the last ball. I think it was very, very similar to that.
04:59And again, this match also brings to my mind the last ball six of
05:03Javed Myandad in Sharjah. Because another full-toss in the last over that tilted the
05:08match in India's favour. So, these two teams have plenty of history. But these are the two thoughts
05:15that are coming into my mind since the time the match was over or probably the match was played.
05:21These are the two key moments that come to my mind.
05:25I would disagree there. Because the Javed Myandad match was a one-day ODI, 50-over match.
05:33And in the T20, that match where Mizwa was fighting a lone battle, that was a losing battle.
05:41And he was just riding his luck. We just knew that he would go anytime.
05:44Because he had very little support in that match.
05:48Yeah, absolutely.
05:48Yeah. But the thing is, what I was saying is two things. One is, this is even better than that.
05:54But again, Mizwa, after scoring so much, he wouldn't have played that shot.
05:58You probably know, if he had not played that shot, Pakistan would have won the first trophy.
06:03That's what comes to my mind. But again, it's not as close.
06:06Yeah. For me, even this match, even till the last over, despite Virat's heroics,
06:12the match was still not in the bag. Till the last ball, we didn't know who's winning.
06:16Correct. Correct. Absolutely.
06:18Very, very close. Shyam, let's just go back to the beginning of the Pakistan innings.
06:22Azam was dismissed on his first ball, rather. It was a great start by Ashdeep Singh,
06:28the left-arm pacer, who made his debut against England last summer.
06:32And he looks like he's got something about him then.
06:35How impressed were you today by Ashdeep Singh?
06:39Yes, very impressed. Simply because it is a World Cup debut.
06:43And for a young bowler like him, if the first match can be full of butterflies in the stomach.
06:50But instead, this man came on and he was spot-on with the first ball.
06:54And the ball that got Babar Azam out, it could have got most of the top-class batsmen out.
06:59Because he's pitched in the middle and just a little shade to the legs and just got him LBW.
07:05So, anybody… I thought that is a ball which could have got most batsmen out.
07:10Not just that, the way he even attacked Mohamed Rizwan.
07:15Mohamed Rizwan was never comfortable throughout his stay.
07:18And the ball which got him out was beautifully set up.
07:23The ball prior to him, he had chipped it just short of Kohli.
07:27He could have been out that ball.
07:28And he soon followed with a short one, which really got him off-guard and was caught at fine leg.
07:34So, I was very, very impressed with the way with Ashdeep bowled today.
07:38Ashdeep did well. He took 3-for-32.
07:40And Pandya did also good. He got 3-for-30.
07:43How good was he today for India?
07:46Satish?
07:47Yeah, Imran.
07:48Another one is, again, taking on what Shyam said, the bouncer that he bowled to Asif Ali.
07:55That was a beauty.
07:56Because Asif Ali is a pretty, pretty good batsman.
07:58And to catch him off-guard and bowl a bouncer right up to the neck level and make him duck was a brilliant delivery.
08:06So, Ashdeep did very well.
08:08Coming to Hardik Pandya, yes, Pandya was expected to do well.
08:13But yeah, he is a very crafty bowler.
08:16He bowls pace, he bowls change of deliveries, slower ones, back of length.
08:22So, actually, he keeps the batsman guessing.
08:24So, if you try to attack him, and the chances are that you will give his wicket than attack him actually.
08:32So, he might go for runs, a few runs here and there.
08:34But I think that one over where he got two wickets was pretty crucial.
08:38Otherwise, Pakistan would have probably got past the 170 mark.
08:42As Ashfaq said, it could have been 170 plus.
08:44It should have been even difficult.
08:46Because Pakistan has got probably one of the best bowling attacks in the world.
08:51Who knows the wicket and then bowls according to the wicket.
08:54It's not that the skills they have, they also plan well and execute that plan very well.
09:01Yeah, I think we need to have a little word about the pitch.
09:03It was a rock of a pitch with a covering of grass.
09:07It had plenty of bounce and zip.
09:09It was going to be good whether you batted first or second, wasn't it, Satish?
09:14No, I think the fresh pitch had something early.
09:16That's why both the captains wanted to bat, or rather bowl first when they won the toss.
09:21Because the initial overs, any fresh pitch would have some moisture, the grass will be still fresher.
09:27So, you want to exploit those first five, six overs.
09:29But again, in 20 overs, 40 overs, the grass wouldn't have completely gone off.
09:34So, it was a good wicket to bat on.
09:36Australian wickets are not for these, isn't it, Imran?
09:40They give you good assistance to the bowlers.
09:42Whether it is fast bowlers, whether it is spinners.
09:45But if you stay on, if you get the pace of the wicket well, you could play your shots.
09:53Trust the wicket and play your shots.
09:55On the race, you can swing your bat around and still connect it.
09:59That's what Kohli did when he was batting.
10:02Just to add to that, Imran.
10:04See, not just the pitch, I think even the sky was overcast also.
10:09Because there was a threat of rain.
10:10So, all those conditions helped the ball move around.
10:13Even when Pakistan was bowling, Shaheen Shahafrezi was swinging the ball into the batsman.
10:18Not just that.
10:19One out-swinger from Nassim, I mean, he went off like a leg break, actually.
10:26There was so much of movement of the pitch.
10:29Asad Rao, I think.
10:32No, no. Nassim Shah's ball.
10:33Nassim Shah's bowler.
10:35Nassim Shah, correct.
10:36Because he himself was surprised at the amount of movement he got.
10:40Yeah.
10:40And he is generally an in-swing bowler, isn't it, Shah?
10:44Let's bring Ashfaq back in.
10:46Ash, after 10 overs, Pakistan were on 60 for 2.
10:51From what you had seen, were you feeling confident?
10:53Were you feeling concerned?
10:55Did you think that you were going to struggle to get to 100?
10:59In the end, getting to 159 was a pretty decent total.
11:02Yeah, it was.
11:04I was expecting more.
11:05I was expecting 170 or something.
11:07Because at that moment, Iftikhar and Shahan Masood were quite settled.
11:11And they were playing good.
11:12And especially Iftikhar, he was in tremendous form today.
11:17Four sixes and five balls.
11:20That made a huge difference.
11:22But in between, India got wickets.
11:26And Iftikhar got out.
11:28Then Asif Ali got out.
11:29Then Haider Ali got out.
11:30The wickets got out.
11:31And thanks to Shaheen Afridi and Shahan, who put a decent total.
11:36It was a very good total.
11:38But I must say, Pakistani bowlers, especially Shaheen Afridi,
11:43I think it was the first match after injury, a big match.
11:47And he was a bit off colours.
11:48He was a bit rusty.
11:53He was not bowling fast as he used to.
11:55And the ball was not coming in.
11:58He was just swinging out.
11:59And it didn't get much help from the wicket as well.
12:02So Naseem Shah Rauf rather bowled better than him, I would say.
12:09Funny enough, Ash, yes, Afridi struggled with the ball.
12:11But with the bat, he did all right.
12:13He could run from six balls.
12:15Yeah, but he was supposed to do better than with the ball.
12:19Because you have Virat Kohli in.
12:21Because they got him in at the 13th over to get Virat Kohli out.
12:25But Virat Kohli hit him badly.
12:28I mean, he hit everybody.
12:31Virat Kohli, Rauf, Haris Rauf, and this guy, Nawaz, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
12:38He was in an unbelievable, fantastic form today.
12:43He just took the match away from us.
12:46And I think one more point I want to say.
12:52I think there was a bit of a mistake in using bowlers.
12:56Nawaz, he shouldn't have given the last ball lost over to Nawaz.
13:03Because you have Hardik Pandey on the wicket.
13:05You have Virat Kohli on the wicket.
13:07And both can hit at him even for 30 runs.
13:10Because they are very good hitters on the spin.
13:12They could have finished his over like in the 14th or 15th over just to make the match.
13:16I think it was a huge mistake to keep him the last over.
13:19That cost him.
13:20That cost the game.
13:22I talked in between.
13:23I wanted to ask you one question.
13:25Iftikhar could have bowled in between, isn't it?
13:27Someone over.
13:28Yeah, that's why that one over was crucial.
13:30They would have brought Iftikhar in between.
13:33Because sometimes if you use not a regular bowler, he can give surprises.
13:38You know that.
13:39Correct.
13:39It happens.
13:41And especially if you use a bowler who conceded 20 runs in his previous over.
13:45Yeah, and then using him again.
13:47Using him again in the last over.
13:49He didn't have the confidence to bowl.
13:51So, I don't know what was going on in his mind.
13:54They could have kept Haris Raup in the last over.
13:57But if it was a 10-run in the last over, he could have made the match.
14:01Better than Nawaz.
14:04The fact that it went down right to the last ball just tells you how close it was.
14:08How closely matched these two teams are.
14:10There's literally nothing in them.
14:12I mean, on another day, if they meet again, there's going to be another epic battle.
14:16But Sham Iftikhar, who got 50 from 32, was going really well for Pakistan.
14:22And then he was LBWed by Shami.
14:24He was batting really well.
14:26But I think, was that a key moment when India took his wicket?
14:31Had he got to stay on for a little bit longer?
14:33Maybe he could have got something like 82 like Koli did today.
14:36And the match could have been a totally different thing.
14:39I completely agree with you, Imran.
14:41Because if Iftikhar had stayed for one more over, he would have had a total of in excess of 170.
14:48Definitely.
14:49And that 10 more runs would have made a huge difference in the end, actually.
14:53So, you are right.
14:53I mean, that was a turning point.
14:56I mean, that is one of the turning points.
14:58But that sure did actually swing its match in India's favour.
15:03And Satish, when India came to bat,
15:06and Pakistan got off to a fantastic start with the ball.
15:09They got Rahul out.
15:10He was clean bowled by Naseem.
15:13Sharma lost his wicket very early.
15:15Yadav was out.
15:16Aksar was run out.
15:17At that stage, at four wickets down,
15:19were you fearing the worst, Satish, that this match is slipping away?
15:24Not really.
15:25Because what has happened with the fourth wicket, Aksar, was a gamble.
15:29They sent him up the order for two reasons.
15:31One is because he is a left-hander and you can alter the bowler's leg.
15:35That way, you can take them off the perfect line and length.
15:39So, that is one.
15:40And if Aksar Patel can get some quick runs,
15:43then it would give the momentum to India.
15:45But that was not to be.
15:47Actually, it was only three down when Kohli and Pandya were batting.
15:53So, it was not a problem.
15:55Because these two batters…
15:58The good thing about these two are,
16:00they are very calm and composed.
16:02And they trust their skills.
16:04And they trust their big-hitting capabilities till the end.
16:08I think that's where the advantage was brought back to India.
16:13Because these guys…
16:16To be fair, they didn't get any chance.
16:19Basically, it was chanceless innings from both of them.
16:22So, in that sense, you couldn't have done much.
16:26But yes, the increasing run rate and the way the Pakistan spinners
16:30were keeping them on the tight leash,
16:33they were not giving that extra fours or sixes.
16:35Because, especially Shadab, he was bowling a brilliant line.
16:39Line and length where he was bowling short of length.
16:41And he was not giving you anything to hit.
16:44So, that was a bit of a concern, yes.
16:47That time, I had a concern.
16:48But yes, these T20 games, we all know that one over can change the momentum.
16:54And as long as Kohli was there.
16:56And of course, Pandya was there till the last.
16:58So, things could go anyway.
17:02And it was actually that one over of Nawaz, that three sixes,
17:07which Kohli and Pandya put together, scored.
17:11That changed, actually, the momentum.
17:12The rest of the pace, yes.
17:14Yeah.
17:16Absolutely.
17:17Final word about Kohli getting that 82 from 53 balls.
17:22Is he back to his swashbuckling best?
17:24Do you think the pressure of not being the captain anymore
17:26has made him play a little bit better now?
17:29Not just that.
17:30Even when he was the captain, I think he was playing very good.
17:32I think, perhaps, even when he was captain, he was scoring very well.
17:36I think one of the few Indian captains who scored very well when there was a captain.
17:40Because the weight of responsibility never affected his backing.
17:45Now, to your question of where he is back at his best, I would think so.
17:48Because this is precisely what I have seen him doing in previous World Cups.
17:5250 World Cups also.
17:53I have seen him take apart Colton Nile of Australia.
18:00Malinga of Sri Lanka.
18:01He has done exactly this kind of play, this kind of innings to take them apart in chases.
18:06So, when he is chasing and when he is in form, he is in absolute control.
18:10And like Sraddhish said, he showed how valuable the experience is.
18:16Because you can't be in a worse situation like 31 for 4.
18:22The commentators were reporting statisticians saying that India has never won a match when
18:26they were 4 down, which is precisely what they did.
18:30Which is why I also say that this could rank as one of India's best wins in T20.
18:35Absolutely.
18:35Yeah, absolutely.
18:38And Ash, final word from you.
18:40India now have a 5-1 advantage over Pakistan in T20 World Cups.
18:45Can Pakistan pull that back?
18:48Well, we don't see matches in the near future.
18:54Because in this World Cup, if they meet, they meet in the final, I think.
18:59Right, Sraddhish?
19:00Yeah, correct.
19:02So, there's no other match.
19:03So, we don't know when is the next series.
19:05So, maybe the final.
19:08Yes, we can hope so.
19:12But if you see the last few matches, it's been cutthroat, nail-biting matches between
19:18India and Pakistan.
19:18They have come to…
19:20It's not one-sided matches anymore.
19:22It's like evenly balanced teams and they can…
19:26It's like up and down from both sides.
19:27So, match can turn away.
19:30It's swinging on both sides.
19:31So, that's absolutely fascinating to watch India-Pakistan.
19:36That's why there was 90,000 people in the Melbourne Stadium today.
19:41And they were going crazy.
19:42I say it's not a home ground for both the teams.
19:45Why so many people are there?
19:46People travel from around the world there and watch the match.
19:49That's India-Pakistan match.
19:51Correct, absolutely.
19:53I think we would all love to see the final between these two teams.
19:56Because again, this has been one of the most amazing games of cricket.
20:00Well, they call it the best ever match between these two teams.
20:03So, you can just believe that.
20:05I think we'll call it a day there.
20:07You guys can go and lie down in the darkened room after that tense affair.
20:10I think you need to catch your breath and have a little rest.
20:12We'll be back for more Cricket Chat.
20:15In the meantime, head to golfnews.com for all the latest news and reviews and much more.
20:19Thanks for watching and goodbye.