IND vs PAK Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! CASTLED! All over for Pakistan. India win by 61 runs and book their place in the Super 8 stage! Hardik keeps the stumps in play with a length ball, Tariq exposes all three stumps and stays leg side of the ball. He hangs his bat out away from his body to cover the line. He plays down the wrong line as the ball goes past the outside edge and clatters into the top of the middle pole. With this massive defeat, Pakistan slip down to third in the standings in Group A, below USA, with a net run rate of -0.403, while USA's reads a healthy +0.788!

Across off, into the deck, Afridi flat-bats it to long on for a single.

A full toss at pace, on leg, Shaheen Afridi backs away and slaps it down to long on for a single.

Short ball, outside off, zipping through with bounce. Shaheen Afridi is beaten by pace and fails to connect with the pull.

DROPPED, SIX! Kuldeep Yadav tips it over the ropes. That will only add to the frustration of Hardik Pandya. On top of off, on a back of a length. Afridi has a big swing across the line. Skies it towards wide long on, where Kuldeep runs to his left and stays side on to take the catch. Ends up palming it over the boundary cushions and Hardik is not pleased one bit.

Chance? Hardik Pandya is not happy with Ishan Kishan. Was there a glove? Into the surface, around leg, Afridi swings across the pull. The ball sneaks under his bat and the gloves. It goes low towards Ishan, who fails to pouch it. The ball pops out of his gloves. The UltraEdge shows a scratch when the ball is next to the glove.

Wide! Hardik spots Afridi backing away and he follows him with a short ball. This slips down leg, Afridi ducks under it.

Full and in front of the stumps, Shaheen crouches a bit and drills it to long on for one.

Full and outside off. Shaheen stays leg side of it and works it to wide long on. Denies the single.

BEATEN! Full and outside off. Shaheen makes room, lunges forward and looks to play a lofted shot. Loses his shape as he swings too hard, fails to get underneath it, and gets beaten on the outside edge.

FOUR! Gets it away! Full and at the sticks, Afridi walks across his stumps and has an ungainly swipe across the line. Gets more of an inside edge and it races behind square leg for a four.

Darted in at the pads, on a length, Afridi clears the front leg and attempts the slog sweep but misses and wears it on the pads.

FOUR! Hammered! Drops it short, on off, Shaheen Afridi gets the width to free his arms and he spanks it to the right of long off for a four. 100 comes up for Pakistan.

On off, pushed through, Usman Tariq lets it be.

Rapped on the pads! There is a stifled appeal for LBW. Not given by the umpire. This looks high and seems to be sliding down leg. Suryakumar Yadav wants to take a chance with it being the hat-trick ball. He takes the review with a couple of seconds left on the timer. Slanting into the right-hander, on a nagging length. There is a tentative prod by Tariq, but fails to bring his bat out in front. Gets hit on the flap of the front pad. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball will miss the leg stump, both on height as well as line.

OUT! PLUMB IN FRONT! Kumar Dharmasena nods before raising the finger. Chakaravarthy is on a hat-trick! Abrar Ahmed reviews, more in hope than anything else. Googly from Chakaravarthy, on a length, on middle. Abrar does not pick the wrong 'un, neither from the hand nor off the surface. He is caught on the crease and just hangs his bat out to cover the line. The ball lands and comes back in to go past the inside edge and hits him on the pads. No bat involved and the Ball Tracking shows three reds with the ball crashing into the middle stump.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! If there was any hope left for Pakistan, that should be it. Flatter and shorter, on middle. Faheem rocks on the back foot for the pull but only gets the height and not the distance. It goes only as far as deep mid-wicket, where Rinku Singh runs in off the ropes and gobbles it up. Pakistan are 97/8.

From around the wicket for Faheem, googly, on a length, on middle. Faheem drops on a knee and sweeps it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Sliding across off, full in length, Shaheen Afridi has a big swipe across the line. Miscues it down the ground to long on for a single.

Short and around middle, worked gently off the back foot to the left of the bowler. Varma moves across quickly and cuts it off.

Full on middle and off, Shaheen crouches, clears his front leg and swipes it off the inside half towards deep backward square leg for a single.

IN THE AIR AND DROPPED! That's the second catch put down by Tilak this evening. Zips in full around middle and off, holds in the surface and straightens. Shaheen swipes across the line and miscues it off the top edge. The ball spoons over the off side and Tilak runs back towards mid off, gets both hands to it, but fails to hold on. Two taken. Tilak never looked settled to get under it properly.

A touch short, on off, Faheem Ashraf punches it down to long off for a single.

Nicely flighted full and outside off, with some turn and bounce. Shaheen Afridi gets low to slog sweep, but gets a leading edge that lands to the right of short third. Varun Chakaravarthy gets across and collects on the bounce. A single taken.

A round-arm delivery, on a length, on off. Shaheen Afridi stabs it back at the bowler off the back foot.

On a length, around middle and off, Faheem Ashraf presses back and bunts it to the off side.

Pushed through quicker through the air, on a length, on a tight line. Shaheen Afridi covers the line and stabs it across to the leg side. With no fielder at mid-wicket, Kuldeep rushes across and chases the ball himself as the batters cross for a quick run.

Short ball, on middle, Faheem Ashraf rocks back and pulls it uppishly to deep mid-wicket for a single.

A sharp leg break, fractionally full and outside off, Faheem Ashraf slices it off the back foot to backward point.

WIDE! Pushed flatter, and down leg, full in length. Shaheen misses to flick. Wide called.

A googly onto the pads, on a length, skidding through. Shaheen Afridi goes back and across to nudge it around the corner, but misses and the ball deflects off the front pad before rolling to square leg. Ishan appeals for LBW, but nothing doing.They get a leg bye.

Shortish delivery, on the stumps, Faheem hangs back and whips it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Quick and short, on off, Faheem Ashraf presses back and punches it away. Tilak Varma dives to his right in the followthrough, but the ball stays out of his reach and rolls down to long off. A single taken. Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Parvez Hossain Emon (Bangladesh), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) and now Shadab Khan  - batters dismissed by Tilak in T20Is, in under 8 overs!

This is more fuller than the previous ball and it drifts back in. Faheem Ashraf tries to squeeze it through cover, but inside edges onto the back pad.

FOUR! Good shot! Nice placement. Little bit of width, full and outside off, Faheem Ashraf smashes it inside out over extra cover for a cracking four.

Loopy ball, full and around off, carved off the front foot to cover.

Full and on off, Afridi firms the drive to long off for a single.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! And again, the shot selection is a bit iffy. Tilak floats it full and keeps it outside off. Shadab Khan stretches forward, getting down on his knee, but is not up to the pitch of the ball. Tries to thump it down the ground, but ends up slicing it off the toe end toward long off. Shivam Dube settles under it and takes an easy catch around his chest. Tilak strikes with his first ball and India are right in the driver's seat. Pakistan are now 7 down for 78 and need another 98 runs from 47 balls!

Slightly fuller and on off, Ashraf eases it to cover.

A touch short, outside off, spinning away, Faheem backs away and stabs it to backward point.

OUT! TAKEN! The wheels are coming off for Pakistan in the chase. Kuldeep tries to float it up but it comes out as a low full toss, on middle. Mohammad Nawaz takes it on the full, trying to whip it behind deep mid-wicket but fails to generate the power and does not get the distance either. The ball goes down the throat of Shivam Dube stationed in the deep who does well to gobble it. He is a few yards in off the ropes, and moves to his right to take a good catch. Kuldeep is all smiles, as he knows this is a wicket gifted away to him. FROM 73/4, PAKISTAN ARE 78/6! EQUATION - 98 RUNS, 50 BALLS.

A googly, on a length, spinning back in. Mohammad Nawaz is pushed on the back foot and bunts it back to the bowler.

FOUR! A gift from Kuldeep and Nawaz accepts it gleefully. Slips in a dipping full toss on off, Mohammad Nawaz drags his hands in front of the pads as he gets down on a knee. Nails the sweep shot to deep mid-wicket, beating Shivam Dube to his left for a boundary.

Slower through the air, outside off, on a length, Shadab steers it to deep backward point for a single.

In line of the stumps, full in length, Nawaz leans on and smothers the spin.

BEAUTY! A slider across the left-hander, full and outside off, Mohammad Nawaz is sucked onto the front foot to block, but the ball fizzes past his outside edge.

OUT! STUMPED! Pakistan lose half their side now. Axar expects Usman to charge down the track and cunningly pulls the length back, keeping it outside off. Usman Khan is nowhere near the pitch of the ball. He tries to reach it by throwing his hands, but gets beaten on the outside edge. Ishan Kishan calmly collects the ball behind the stumps and whips the bails off with Usman well short. Pakistan are 73/5 in the chase of 176 runs.

Short and on the stumps, Shadab tucks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full and on leg, Usman Khan swats it over the bowler, and Rinku Singh rushes to his left from long on to cut it off. Just a single.

Spotting Usman charge down, Axar shortens the length and slides it into the bodyline. Khan inside edges on the thigh pad and the ball rolls in the backward point region. Kishan chases it by sprinting to his right.

Kuldeep dishes out the googly, keeps the length shorter and makes the ball to turn away from the right-hander. Usman reaches out and cuts it to deep point for one.

This keeps straight, on the shorter side, on middle. Khan knocks it to long on and crosses over.

Beaten! Another wrong 'un, on a length, on off, Shadab pushes out in front of his body with a straight bat. The ball lands and turns past the blade.

Googly, looped up, on off, Usman clears the front leg and has a heave across the line. The ball catches an inside edge and goes behind square leg for a run.

Shorter and on off, Shadab gets on top of it and punches it to long off for one.

Flighted delivery first up, full and outside off, Usman firms the drive to long off and picks up a single.

Short and angled in at the pads, Shadab misses out on the tickle and wears it on the pads.

Short and on middle, Shadab stabs it down the deck.

Shorter and on middle, Usman dabs it in the vacant mid-wicket region and looks for the second but Axar hunts down the ball and keeps it to a single.

At the sticks, on a length, Usman Khan plays it back to Axar.

FOUR! Tilak Varma stands no chance this time. Axar offers flight again, full and on off, Usman skips down the pitch again and lofts it down the ground. A lot straighter this time for another boundary.

FOUR! Tilak Varma misses a chance. Not sure whether even if he had taken it, would he have managed to stay in the field of play. Floated up, on off, Usman charges down the track and goes back over the bowler's head. Varma sprints to his right from long off, where he is stationed a bit wide. He dives, extending his right hand out, but fails to cling on. The ball clips his fingertips and trickles behind into the fence.

This keeps coming into the right-hander, on a length, on middle. Shadab moves towards the leg side and tries to punch it away. Ends up getting it off the inner half back towards the bowler. A productive over for Pakistan, 10 runs off it.

Fractionally short, on off, Usman hops back and guides it to the right of short third for another single.

Chakaravarthy drags the length back, around off, Khan taps it to the left of cover and crosses over.

FOUR! Gets it through! Varun Chakaravarthy errs as he slips in a low full toss, on off. Shadab shapes up for the reverse paddle early and angles it past the diving short third fielder for a four.

Full and curving back in, on off, Usman stabs it down in front of cover for a run.

Just a push and it fetches Shadab Khan three runs. Tossed up, full and on off, Shadab makes a bit of room and just taps it through the vacant point region. Just one man inside the circle at cover and one deep behind square on the off side. By the time the deep fielder can get around and release the throw, Shadab collects three runs. 50 UP FOR PAKISTAN! 126 more needed from 77 balls.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Short and sliding in at the hips, Usman hangs on the back foot and tickles it fine of the man at fine leg for a four.

Slower and the length stays short, on off, Usman steers it to backward point. He wants a single but is sent back. Hardik Pandya is quick to get rid of the ball and Ishan whips the bails but Khan had plonked his bat inside the crease in time.

Short and it skids through, around the off stump, Khan chops it to backward point.

FOUR! Agricultural but it does the job! Coming in with the arm, full and on middle and leg. Usman jumps out of the crease and has a hack across the line. Gets it more off the inner half and through mid-wicket for a four.

This is slower, full and drifting in, on middle. Khan checks his drive back to the bowler.

Axar attacks the stumps with a full ball from around the wicket. Shadab walks inside the line and paddles it to deep fine leg. They cross.

A bit of extra bounce and it is too close to the body for the cut. Usman is cramped for space and fends it down to point. 4 runs off Chakaravarthy's first over and PAKISTAN END THEIR POWERPLAY ON 38/4!

Flicked from the back of the hand, short and on top of off. Usman makes room and cuts it late but can't get it past backward point.

Keeps it full, attacking the front pad, Shadab brings his bat out in front and eases it to long on for one to open his account.

Floated up, full and on middle. Usman drives it to long off and crosses over.

Fuller and angled in again, on middle. Khan backs away and plays the lofted drive to the left of long off for a couple of runs. Rinku Singh tidies up.

Skidding through, on a nagging length, on middle. Usman pats it back to the bowler off the back foot.

Full in length, the arm ball that drifts into the batter, at 84.6 kph. Shadab presses forward to defend but is beaten on the inside edge and wears it on the front pad. There is a slight appeal for LBW, but not given. Probably doing a bit too much to slide down leg.

OUT! OUTFOXED! A beauty of a delivery by Axar. Gives the ball more flight and pitches it in front of the sticks, and this is the under-cutter on a fuller length. Babar Azam swings wildly to slog it over the leg side, but plays all over the line of the ball. It sneaks through the yawning gap between the bat and the pad and crashes into the stumps. Babar Azam trudges off to the pavilion and Pakistan are 34/4, chasing 176.

An in-angler on a length, at the pads, Khan tucks it using soft hands through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR MORE! Good, proactive batting by Usman! Axar floats one on a fuller length and it drifts down leg. Usman Khan exposes the stumps, gives himself a bit of room and lofts it over the leaping cover fielder for a boundary.

FOUR! Nicely played! Pitched up, full and around off, Usman Khan stays leg side and advances before going inside out over cover for a boundary.

Quicker and flatter from around the stump. Usman Khan blocks this full ball watchfully.

Swing and a miss! At 142 kph, this is slammed into the pitch, outside off, Babar Azam arches back to square cut through point, but the beats his inside edge.

Full and straight around off, the off cutter, Babar Azam presses in front and eases it to cover.

A yorker that tails in on the toes, at 145.2 kph, Usman Khan's head falls over but he manages to flick it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Good running! On a length, around off. Babar Azam gets on the back foot and taps it in front of backward point and steals a run.

WIDE! A bit too straight and slanting down the leg side, Babar Azam misses the flick. Ishan moves to his left and fails to gather it cleanly. The ball rolls around him. Wide called.

A slower one by Bumrah, on a length, this is clipped away by Usman to widish mid-wicket for a single.

Hard length, on off, Usman Khan plays off the back foot and dabs it to short third.

Good effort! On a back of a length, outside off, Usman Khan square-cuts it, but Axar Patel at backward point half stops with a dive to his left. The ball gets parried away to the deep for a single.

BEATEN! Zips through the deck with extra bounce, outside off, Usman flays at it to access the off side on the back foot, but is tucked up for space and gets beaten on the outside edge.

SIX! Majestic stroke! Pandya bowls full and just outside off, Usman Khan hits it through the line and spanks it over long off for a huge six.

Length ball, on top of middle, Usman Khan advances down the track and looks to heave, but gets it off the inner half of the bat and the ball dribbles to mid-wicket.

Full and in front of the sticks, Usman pushes it to widish mid off.

On a back of a length, shaping away, outside off, Babar Azam tries to punch it to the off side, but gets a thick outside edge to deep third for a single.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A nothing shot from the Pakistan skipper and Bumrah has two in his first over. On a length, angled in towards off from outside off. Agha plants his front leg across and looks to whip it over mid-wicket, but closes the bat face too early and loses shape. The top edge loops towards mid on, where Pandya backtracks a couple of steps and takes a simple catch. PAKISTAN ARE 13/3 and need another 163 RUNS FROM 108 BALLS!

FOUR! Not very convincing, but runs are runs. Full and swinging in from outside off. Agha steps forward to drive through the off side but gets a thick inside edge, and the ball goes past mid-wicket for a boundary.

Azam gets a bit squared up on a good length ball, on off. Manages to dab it through short third for a single.

Just over! Back of a length, outside off, Babar Azam slashes it over backward point. Rinku Singh sprints across from deep third and cuts it off in the deep before the ropes. Two taken.

OUT! LBW! Pakistan lose both their openers. Bumrah nails a fuller ball that swings back in on middle. Saim Ayub tries to flick it across, but misses and the ball slams into the pads. A big appeal for LBW and Kumar Dharmasena obliges by raising his finger. But Saim goes upstairs for a review. The replay shows that Saim's bat actually grazed the back pad and it did not get out in front. The umpire does not feel the need to go for the UltraEdge. Ball Tracking presents three reds as the ball is projected to smash into the middle pole. PAKISTAN ARE 6/2 and need another 170 RUNS FROM 112 BALLS!

SIX! Off the top edge, but Saim and Pakistan will take it. Bumrah shoots a length ball, on the leg stump. Saim jumps out of the crease and tries to whip over the leg side, but only manages a big top edge and the ball sails all the way over deep third.

Much fuller and straighter on the pads, Salman Agha tucks it to mid-wicket. A WICKET MAIDEN from Hardik.

BEAUTY! On a back of a length, nipping away, outside off, Salman Agha hangs his bat away from the body and the ball zips past his outside edge. Hardik gives a stare to the new batter.

OUT! STRAIGHT UP THE CHIMNEY AND GONE! The short ball does the trick for Hardik and India's joy knows no bounds. Farhan knew it straightaway. Short by Hardik, outside off, with an extra bit of bounce. Sahibzada Farhan tries to pull it to the leg side, but gets a fat top edge. The ball is skied towards mid on and it kisses the moon before descending. Rinku Singh lurks under it in the ring and takes a safe catch. PAKISTAN ARE 0/1, needing another 176 RUNS FROM 116 BALLS!

Three dots! On a good length, outside off at 134.2 kph, Sahibzada Farhan punches it off the back foot, but finds the fielder at cover.

On a back of a length, outside off, moving away, Sahibzada Farhan covers the stumps and tucks it to the leg side in front of square.

Swing right away. Shapes away from a hard length, on off, Sahibzada Farhan hops on the crease and bunts it down the pitch.