In the most-anticipated clash of the T20 World Cup 2024, India rode on a high-class bowling spell from Jasprit Bumrah, conceding just three off the penultimate over and picking a crucial wicket of Iftikhar Ahmed, to hand Pakistan their second successive defeat of the tournament. Asked to chase a paltry total of 113, Pakistan threw up a rather sedate start, and fell six runs short of the target. We look at five of the most crucial moments of the game that have left Pakistan languishing at the bottom of the points table.

Promoting Axar Patel to No. 4

In hindsight, this proved to be a great decision from the captain Rohit Sharma. After India lost their second wicket in the third over, everyone was expecting Suryakumar Yadav to come on, and play his usual counter-attacking role. But on a pitch where bowlers were wreaking havoc, India decided to send Axar Patel, a left-handed batter, and he stitched a crucial partnership with Rishabh Pant to steady the batting order. By the time Axar departed, via a menacing delivery from Naseem Khan, India had scored 58 runs, which is not bad considering the conditions on offer.

Rishabh Pant Taking On Haris Rauf

Rishabh Pant was living dangerously. He tried to take on the bowlers, but strokes were hard to come by, and twice against Mohammad Amir in the sixth over, his edges flew to the boundary. Pant's struggles exemplified the nature of surface where anything beyond 120 would have set up the match. Pant finally managed to cut loose, against Haris Rauf, striking him for three successive boundaries, without which Pakistan might have been staring at a much smaller target.

Jasprit Bumrah's Masterful Spell

With 21 needed off the last two overs, the responsibility to choke the Pakistan innings fell on the shoulders of Jasprit Bumrah, the rare all-phase maestro who rarely disappoints when the stakes are high. Bumrah started with a vicious off-cuter, following it with two dots before getting the better of Iftikhar Ahmed to put them in a spot of bother. Conceding just three runs off the over, Bumrah ensured that Arshdeep Singh, who was going to bowl the ultimate over, got some leeway for a mistake. Singh gave aways only 11 runs to secure a thrilling victory for India.