Cricket Scorecard

Right then, can India defend the total to keep their streak intact? Will dew play a factor? How will both teams fare in the Powerplay? We will find all the answers in a short while. Stay tuned...

Shaheen Afridi says that getting the big wickets makes him happy. Adds that he worked on getting the ball to swing here as it gets easy for the batters if it doesn't swing. Further adds that batting against the new ball will be a little difficult, but apart from that, it is a good pitch to bat on.

Pakistan's bowling was brilliant in the first 10 overs as they had their rivals on the mat. But they failed to deliver the knockout punch. India found a way to recover as apart from Shadab Khan, no other bowler managed to exert any pressure in the middle overs. Virat Kohli's presence made sure that the strike was getting rotated and India managed to build a decent launching pad for the death overs. The Indian skipper scored a valiant fifty before getting out to Shaheen Afridi who picked the top

It was a shocking start for India as they lost Rohit Sharma for a golden duck and then KL Rahul followed his opening partner soon. Shaheen Afridi showed ruthless form with the new ball and put India in an early spot of bother. Hasan Ali joined in and removed Suryakumar Yadav to make it three down inside the Powerplay. The early nerves for India though settled down after that and Rishabh Pant joined hands with Virat Kohli for a partnership. After a period of consolidation, Pant injected fresh blo

A fantastic last over by Haris Rauf but a couple of overs prior to that has allowed India to breach the 150-run mark. A really good comeback from India after early setbacks and this game is set up nicely. The scorecard reads 151 but it's India versus Pakistan and you can easily add 15-20 runs to the target due to the pressure this clash brings.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, A bye to end! A superb last over then by Rauf! INDIA END WITH 151 FOR 7! Kumar walks right across to play the paddle scoop. Rauf bowls it short and well outside off. Kumar misses. They sneak a run which is a bye. Not wided as Kumar had moved across.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Two more! 150 up for India. Really smart batting from Kumar! Not easy to hit boundaries here. He once again with soft hand works it through mid-wicket and runs two more.

Is that a run out? Mohammed Shami seems to be safe. Yup, he is inside the crease.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, NOT ! Shami is in! These are vital runs! A slower one on middle, this is worked through mid-wicket. Two is the call by Kumar! Shami goes for it, the fielder from long on runs to his right, picks the ball up and fires it to the bowler who takes the bails off and appeals. It is referred but the replays show that Shami is in.

Haris Rauf (3-0-19-0) to bowl the final over. Can India get to 160 here?

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, ! TAKEN! The cool and calm Babar takes a really good and important catch! The man who India would have been relying on to strike boundaries in this last over walks back. A good slower one, on off, Pandya looks to go over long off but is way too early into the shot. He does not pick the slower one. Ends up hitting it high up in the air towards mid off. Long off also runs in but it is Babar who moves towards the ball from covers and takes it. Can Pakistan now

Mohammed Shami walks out to bat now.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, Two! This time Pandya is waiting for the short ball, he pulls it through mid-wicket. It is in the gap. Two taken.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, A really good start to the last over by Rauf! A slower one, shorter and around off, Pandya looks to pull, this one stays low. Pandya looks to pull but it goes over the off pole.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, FIVE BYES! That is poor from Pakistan. That should have been just the one. 10 from the last two balls of the 19th. 150 is well and truly possible now! This was a good ball on the Free Hit. It is short and outside off, Pandya misses the pull. They look to sneak a bye. Rizwan throws it to the bowler who turns and has a shy but misses. No one backing up and it's a boundary at long off. End of a huge over in the end.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, NO BALL AND ! That is not what Pakistan wanted! Not sure for what it is, maybe for height! A high full toss outside off. Pandya guides it through point and this one races away to the fence. The replay shows that it's a no ball for overstepping. Free Hit time...

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, ! EDGED AND TAKEN! Shaheen Afridi is the man for Pakistan in this big game. Gets the big fish and this could very well stop India from scoring over 150. A really good slower bumper, it lands on middle and moves away at 79 mph. Kohli looks to pull but the tennis-ball like bounce means, it takes the top edge and Rizwan takes a good catch jumping to his right. Excellent with the new ball, impressive at the death, Shaheen is leaving a big impact on this match

Shaheen Afridi to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fuller and on middle, Kumar jams it back towards the right of the bowler for one.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the new man in.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, That is sharp! Really sharp. A short one, Pandya is beaten for pace as he tries to pull. It goes off the gloves but lands on the leg side between the keeper and the bowler who runs towards the ball. One taken. Kohli is back on strike.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, ! That is a beauty of a ball but Shaheen is very unfortunate that it has gone to the fence. A yorker around off at 90 mph, Pandya looks to jam it out but it goes off the bottom edge, runs fine towards third man for a boundary. India will take it!

Who will bowl the penultimate over? Shaheen Afridi (3-0-19-2) is back on. He provided Pakistan with a dream start. Can he finish well here?

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, Swing and a miss! Pandya swung really hard there! A good cutter, length and on off, it lands and then moves away. Pandya looks to flat-bat it but misses.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, WIDE! The idea was not bad but the execution was not right! He goes for a full and wide ball outside off but serves it way too wide. Pandya goes after it but misses. Wided.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Two to end! Jadeja's wicket in it but still 13 from the over. Hasan Ali ends with figures of 4-0-44-2. A slower one on middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for a couple. Two more overs to go, can India get to 150?

Hardik Pandya walks out to bat now. The platform is set for him to provide India with late fireworks.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, ! TAKEN! Hasan Ali strikes back! Big wicket as Jadeja could cause real damage in the last few overs. A really good slower one at 123 kph. Fuller and outside off, Jadeja is early into the whip across the line. He ends up hitting it high up in the air towards deep mid-wicket. Mohammad Nawaz, the sub, runs in and takes a very good catch.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, ! That is yet another poor delivery from Hasan Ali! He is under pressure here! With fine leg up, he bowls this short and on the pads, it is pulled up and over the fine leg fielder for a boundary. Two balls to go in this over, how many more can India get?

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Cramps Kohli for room this time by bowling it on the middle pole, Kohli drops it towards covers and takes one.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Up and over! Stand and deliver! Not the best of nights for Hasan Ali! Short in length and sits up to be hit around off. Kohli smashes it over covers for a boundary.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Two! Fifty for Kohli! Captain's innings! Do not look at the strike rate here. This is a quality knock. He had wickets falling at one end and needed to stay there and that is what he has done. Can he help his side finish well now? He gets there by playing this ball on middle towards mid-wicket for two.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, He does, just the 4 from the 17th. That is brilliant! Bowls the 4th slower one in a row. Kohli works it through square leg and retains strike. Three overs left, can India get to 150?

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Make that three in a row! Two dots out of it! Another slower one, this is on a length and outside off, Kohli guides it to point. Can Rauf end this over well now? 

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Two slower balls in a row now! Really clever from Rauf! Maybe the Indian batters are not expecting slower ones from him. He has bowled two in a row now. This is outside off. Kohli is early into the slash. Misses.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, A very well-disguised slower one, it lands on leg, Jadeja is foxed by the lack of pace, he pushes it to mid off for one.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Kohli now gives himself room! Rauf once again bowls it full. Kohli lofts it but towards sweeper cover for one. He wanted to get that a lot straighter than he did.

Shadab Khan is done with his quota of 4 overs. Change of ends for Haris Rauf (2-0-15-0) as he is back on.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Jadeja now looks to go big as he clears his front leg. Rauf bowls it quite full and on off, Jadeja only manages to push it to mid off and gets to the other end.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, 10 from the over then! A welcome good over for them! Back of a length and on off, Jadeja waits and then guides it to point for one.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Now follows the boundary with a single as he pushes this back-of-a-length ball through covers. 9 from the first 5 balls.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Caressed! Once again a dot is followed by a boundary! This is trademark Kohli. That is a beautiful shot. Fuller and outside off, Kohli leans into it and strokes it past the diving cover fielder. The man at mid off gives it a chase but he has no chance. Top class timing and placement. 

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, BEATEN! Good comeback! Shorter and outside off, extra bounce on this one. Kohli looks to guide it down to third man but is beaten. So a boundary in between two dots in this over so far.

Change. Hasan Ali (2-0-21-1) is back. He was hit for a couple of sixes by Pant in his last over. Ali would want to make amends now.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Not a good ball, just not the ball Babar would have wanted. A slower bumper with the fine leg up. Kohli pulls it, he plays it with a lot of control past short fine leg and into the boundary. He is into the 40s now.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Just short! Hasan Ali almost outsmarted Kohli there. He saw Virat coming down the track and bangs it short. Kohli looks to fend it away but it goes off the splice and lands just short of the bowler, to his right.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, A single to end which means just the 4 from the 15th over. Excellent by Shadab, 4-0-22-1 for him tonight. The last ball is flatter and outside off, Kohli slaps it through covers and gets to the other end to retain strike.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, A little too full, this is crisply hit down to long off for one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Kohli continues to be watchful! On off, Kohli strokes it through covers for one.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Just the one! Singles won't really harm Pakistan! On middle, Jadeja works it wide of the bowler and down to long on for one.

Ravindra Jadeja backs away at the last moment. The ball had already left Shadab Khan's hand but Jadeja backs away. He is quick to apologize to the bowler.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Yet another dot! Tossed up on off, this is pushed to covers.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Tossed up outside off, Jadeja guides it to point and wants one but is rightly sent back.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, A decent comeback! A dot to end but still 9 from the over. A slower one on off, Kohli lunges and blocks it on the surface.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, ! That is a gift for Kohli and he loved it! A fist pump from him as soon as he hit it! A full toss down the leg side, Kohli flicks it fine and it races away to the fine leg fence.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Rauf probably got a little too excited there! Bangs it way too short. It goes well over the batter's head. Wided.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Just the one this time! Outside off again, Jadeja guides it towards point. The fielder there dives but it goes away from him, down to third man for one. We can really see the Pakistan players diving here and there and putting in a real effort, they are up for this game.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Nicely played by Jadeja! Just used the pace! Outside off, this is guided through point. Malik at third man runs to his left, slides and saves two for his side. Really well fielded!

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, That is seriously quick! A 148 KPH delivery, it is a yorker on off, Jadeja looks to jam it out but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Haris Rauf is back on. He went for 6 in his first over.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Fuller ball, on off. Blocked back to the bowler.

Ravindra Jadeja is the new man in, perhaps to maintain the left-right combination.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Kohli takes a few steps down the track, this is full and on middle, it is eased down to long on for one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Loopy ball, on off. Kohli pushes it past covers. He jogs for a while and then realizes that there could be a second run available. He sprints after that but the fielder comes in quickly and keeps it to one. A fine successful over from Shadab!

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Flatter ball, on off. Jadeja works it towards mid-wicket. Shadab Khan sprints for it and keeps it to one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Googly, on the pads. Kohli works it past mid-wicket for one.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, ! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! The leggie delivers and this is a big, big moment in the game. Pant was set to tee off but his wicket is a massive setback for India. Shadab Khan tosses this one too, but this is a googly, around middle and off. Pant gets low to slog-sweep but gets a top edge on it. The ball goes miles in the air. Shadab Khan moves back to his left, settles under it and gulps it down near mid on. The 53-run stand has been broken and Pakistan would look

Change! Shadab Khan comes back into the attack now. This could be another over that India will target.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Loopy ball, down the leg side again. Pant misses the sweep now. Wide called.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, down the leg side. Pant looks to sweep but gets a faint edge on it. The ball goes over Rizwan. The man from short fine leg gets across and keeps it to two.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Dot to end but India get 15 from the over. Length ball, on off. Kohli comes down the track and works it to mid-wicket.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Length ball, on the pads. Pant works it to fine leg for a single now. The 50-run stand comes up and this pair has bailed India out from a precarious situation.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Shorter ball, outside off. Pant punches it past point. The man from deep cover gets to his right but Pant and Kohli run hard to get the second run.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, ! Two in a row! Another one-handed biggie! Ali comes over the wicket now. He bowls a slower ball, on a length, outside off. Pant extends his arms and hits it over long off. The bottom hand once again comes off but the ball keeps on flying over the fence. This time Kohli smiles. The momentum is shifting and the crowd is sensing it.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, ! Here comes the Pant special, one-handed maximum! Length ball, around leg. Pant gets low and tries to heave it towards deep square leg. The bottom hand comes off the handle but the ball goes all the way. That is the shorter side of the ground and Pant will likely target that. Babar Azam has a wry smile on his face.

Hasan Ali is back! A wicket in his first over and Azam probably wants another one and hence, gets him back. Can he deliver?

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Length ball, around off. Pant gets down the track but taps it to point. We could see Pant upping the ante now.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Nicely played for a single. Full again, on middle, Pant hits it straight back. Rauf puts his left hand out but does not get to it. The man from long on gets to his right and keeps it to one.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Well bowled. A very full one, just outside off at 152 kph. Pant gets under it but hits it straight towards extra cover.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Length ball, on off, Kohli hits it to the right of the bowler. Rauf dives but cannot get there. The ball goes towards mid on and a single is taken.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Fuller ball, outside off. Pant drives it towards deep backward point for yet another single.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, On a length, on off. Kohli looks to flick it but it takes the leading edge. The ball goes to third man. Single.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Rauf has to reload now. Length ball, down the leg side. Kohli misses the flick and the umpire has a bit of arm-stretching to do. Wide!

DRINKS! Have to say, the first 10 overs belonged to Pakistan! They are on top in this game, they got the three wickets and did not let India score freely too. They can't rest on their laurels now though as Pant and Kohli have started to get a move on. One just gets the feeling that the momentum seems to be shifting in the last two overs or so. Can Pakistan strike back after the break or will India move ahead in the game? We will find out. Haris Rauf to bowl after the break...

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Rauf starts with a shorter ball, outside off. Pant cuts it over covers for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Shorter ball, on off. Pant goes on the back foot and turns it through mid-wicket. India are going run-a-ball at this stage. 

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Darted quicker, on the pads. Pant misses the flick and gets hit on the pads. Hafeez appeals but the ball is possibly going down the leg stump.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Kohli seems to be happy in giving the strike to Pant. Darted on the pads. He works it behind square leg for one.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Loopy ball, around off. Pant comes down the track and works it to long on for one. This is sensible batting.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, ! That is a cracking shot by Pant! Flatter ball, right on the off pole and skidding in with the angle. Pant backs away, waits for it and then cuts it hard. The man at point dives but has no chance. Boundary.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Shorter ball, on leg. Kohli flicks it towards square leg and gets to the other end.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, ! That is a poor ball and it is punished by Pant! Quicker and shorter down the leg side. This is not what you want to bowl when there is a short fine leg as opposed to a fine leg. Pant gets low and hits it over that fielder for a boundary.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Darted on the pads. Kohli flicks it away to mid-wicket. The bowler runs for it and keeps it to one.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, In the air...but does not carry! Shorter ball, outside off. Pant looks to go downtown but miscues it. The ball goes in the air but lands well short of long off. Had he connected that a bit better, it might have carried all the way to the fielder.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Good fielding in the deep! Short ball, outside off. Pant cuts it past the diving point fielder. It looks like it will reach the fence but the man from sweeper cover gets to his right and dives to stop it. Two taken.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, a googly, quite wide outside off. Pant looks to thump it through covers but gets no bat on it.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, A full one, on middle, Kohli whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, NOT ! UltraEdge shows no spike! This was a very risky shot though. The pressure was getting to him and he tried to break the shackles. Flatter ball, outside off. Pant gets low and attempts the reverse sweep. He gets no bat on it but Rizwan collects the ball and appeals. The appeal is turned down but Rizwan is very confident. The review is taken. UltraEdge shows that there was no bat or glove involved.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Shorter ball, on leg. Kohli works it past mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, around off and a bit short, Pant gets back and cuts it wide of the diving cover-point fielder for a single.

Review time! Rizwan is very, very confident. He has demanded a review and Azam takes it as an appeal for a caught behind is turned down.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Loopy ball, on leg. Kohli works it to long on for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Nicely played. Tossed up, wide outside off. Pant sweeps it well. The ball goes to the right of deep mid-wicket for one.

Change! Mohammad Hafeez is on now! An off spinner as there is a left-hander out there.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Darted on the pads. Rishabh Pant blocks it back to the bowler.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Just 3 from the over and Pakistan are keeping the pressure on India. Loopy ball, on leg. Pant dances down the track and works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Shadab Khan is on now! A leg spinner against Pant, this should be a good contest.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Nicely flighted, on middle and leg. Pant comes down the track and works it to short mid-wicket.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, A touch shorter and wider outside off. Pant cuts it past backward point. The man in the deep gets to his right and keeps it to a couple.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Quicker and shorter, on leg. Pant tucks it to short fine leg. Wonder how long before he plays his natural game here.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Darted on the pads. Pant looks to whip it away but gets hit on the pads.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Nicely tossed up, on off, Pant blocks it back to the bowler.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Virat Kohli finishes the Powerplay with a delightful boundary. Fuller in length and outside off, Kohli strides forward and crunches it through cover-point for a glorious boundary. India are struggling at 36/3 after the first 6 overs.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Hasan Ali switches to 'round the wicket and delivers it on a length around off, Rishabh Pant steps forward and across before nudging it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Who will India send in now? Here comes Rishabh Pant. It will be very interesting to see how he bats in this situation.

Hasan Ali to Suryakumar Yadav, ! CAUGHT BEHIND! Mohammad Rizwan takes a lovely diving catch. Boom...and boom...goes Hasan Ali in his trademark celebration! Hurls it across on a shortish length, outside off and seaming away with some extra bounce, Suryakumar Yadav flashes his bat at it but only manages to edge it behind. Mohammad Rizwan dives across to his right and grabs a fantastic catch, his 100th in T20s.

Hasan Ali to Suryakumar Yadav, Well bowled. Hasan drops it on a length and around off, angling in and cramping the batsman for room, SKY plays it down from the crease to backward point.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Shortish and outside off, Virat Kohli runs it down to third man and takes a single. No ball called for overstepping. Free Hit loading... Free Hit not loading actually. There was a lot of confusion. The umpire did raise his hand sideways but then he may have got a confirmation from upstairs that the foot is behind the line. It is a legal delivery.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Starts with a length ball, angling in from around off, Kohli jumps down the track and works it off his pads. It rolls towards mid on.

Change in bowling. Hasan Ali is set to steam in now.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Shaheen Afridi tries to surprise the batsman with a yorker but it turns out to be a low full toss around off, Kohli bunts it down to mid off and scampers across to the other end. 9 from this over and Shaheen Afridi is done with his three overs. India can take a breather now.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, ! This one has been nailed by the Indian skipper. Three dots, the pressure was building and Kohli decides to send the bowler packing. Shaheen serves it on a length around leg, Virat steps back to make room and launches it over long on.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Slightly short in length and around off, once again Virat Kohli hangs on the back foot and punches it through the line. Finds cover-point. Three dots.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Shaheen Afridi cuts down on his length a bit, lands it around off, angling away, Virat stays back and taps it down to backward point.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Lands it around off, on a fuller length, Virat Kohli presses forward to push it to the off side. Finds the cover fielder.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Delivers it on a length around middle, Kohli walks forward and nudges it in the gap at mid-wicket. Good running between the wickets and they take a couple of runs.

Will Shaheen Afridi bowl his third over? Here he comes. Babar Azam would love one more wicket from him in the Powerplay.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, ! Suryakumar Yadav means business! Full and flighted around off, SKY goes down on one knee and sweeps it sweetly through backward square leg for a boundary. Showing no nerves.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fullish and around off, Kohli gets forward and pushes it with soft hands at covers for one.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, Shout for an lbw! Tossed up, landing full and just outside off, Suryakumar Yadav tries to sweep but misses. It goes off his pads to short third man and they appeal. The batsmen cross. Given as a leg bye. That hit the batsman outside the line. Babar Azam doesn't take the review after having a word with Mohammad Rizwan. 

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Flatter and on middle, defended towards short mid-wicket.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Loopy and full on middle, Virat gets forward and defends it quietly to the leg side.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fuller and on off, Kohli drives it back past the bowler to long on for one.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, ! Up, up and over the fielder! This is how Suryakumar Yadav knows to play. Short in length, around off, Yadav gets on top of the bounce, uses his wrists well as he pulls it over square leg. The fielder in the deep runs across, jumps but it flies over him. First boundary of the game for India.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, On a length around middle, Kohli uses his wrists and works it through square leg for a single.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, Fullish and close to off, SKY whips it wide of mid on for one.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, A low full toss around off, Yadav works it around from the toe end of his bat.

Suryakumar Yadav finds himself in the middle now. His first time in a World Cup and he finds himself in a pressure situation. How will he respond?

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, Serves it on a length around middle and off, Yadav defends it from the back foot to mid off.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, ! STUMPS SHATTERED! India's batsman in form, KL Rahul is dismissed cheaply. Shaheen Afridi is on fire. That's quick, more than 140 kph and moves back in a bit late. Very difficult to play those. On a length around off, Rahul stays back to play across the line but misses. It nips back in, perhaps takes the inner half of his bat and then deflects onto the stumps off the thigh pad. Afridi is up and running in celebration.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Quicker again, flat and on off, this time Rahul punches it down to long on and takes a single. A couple of very good overs from Pakistan.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Arm ball on middle, on the shorter side, KL moves back and punches it on the leg side. Finds mid-wicket.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fuller and flatter on middle, Kohli knocks it down through mid on for one.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Tossed up but around leg, skidding down, Rahul nudges it to the left of short fine leg and picks up a run.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Another arm ball, short and around off, Rahul goes back and punches it to covers.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Flighted one, full and on middle, an arm ball, Kohli flicks it from the inner portion of his bat to short fine leg. It rolls to the right of the fielder inside the ring and they cross.

Will we see some spin from the other end? Yup, here comes Imad Wasim.

The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, walks out to bat. A lot earlier than he would have liked.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Kohli opens his account. Shaheen delivers it on a length around off, Kohli gets forward to push at it but the ball takes the inner half and rolls to the right of mid on. They take a run. What a first over by Shaheen Afridi! 

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Back of a length, around off and angling away, Kohli walks across to cover his stumps and then makes a leave.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, ! Rohit Sharma bags a golden duck! Pakistan strike early and the crowd roars. Plumb lbw. Fuller and straighter from Shaheen, it's in the line of the stumps, good pace and Rohit is very late in bringing his bat down. He is struck on the back pad, they appeal and the finger has gone up. You cannot get more plumb than this. Rohit knows that and returns without even thinking about reviewing the decision.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, India are away! On a length and around leg, KL gets back and taps it down towards square leg for a single.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, Full again, around off, Rahul drives from the middle of the blade to covers and Babar Azam stops it with a dive.

Right then! We are done with the pre-match formalities. Babar Azam has his team in a huddle before they spread out on the field. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul stride out to bat for India. A few words are exchanged between Sharma and Azam. Indian team has taken the knee to protest racial discrimination while the Pakistanis have their hands on their heart to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Shaheen Afridi with the first ball. Here we go...

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, Starts by pitching it up and around off, a bit of movement, KL Rahul presses forward and pushes it gently to the off side.

Folks, we are set for the mega-clash to begin! But first, the players walk out for the national anthems. First, the anthem of Pakistan will be played followed by India's. What a moment! The stadium is jam-packed and as players, you dream of playing in front of a sellout crowd.

India (Playing XI) - KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

Hardik Pandya is down for a chat. He says that it is not easy to stay calm in these situations but he tries not to get too hyped by the situation. Adds that he tries to stay away from social media before such clashes. States that as a team they try to keep things professional and look to execute their plans. Informs that his back is good but he won't be bowling in this game, but at some point of time in the tournament, he would love to bowl. Further adds that the medical team will play an import

Stat - We had talked about one stat against Pakistan but there is one stat that is heavily loaded in their favour. They have 15 wins in T20Is in Dubai which is the most by any team and Pakistan are unbeaten at this venue since 2016. 

Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, says that he is pretty happy with setting the target. Adds that he would have bowled first but the toss is not in their control. Says that they have a balanced side. Adds that they want to stay as professional as possible, the key is to stay focused and do the basics right. Further adds that as players they need to disconnect from the emotional side of things and execute their plans. Shares that the pitch looks different than what it looked in the Indian T20 Lea

Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, says they are going to bowl first. Tells that they would look for early wickets and try to put India under pressure. Also adds that the dew is on their mind. States he is looking forward to this game and they are well prepared. Adds Pakistan have always been a good bowling side but this time their batting is also good and they are confident. Ends by informing Haider Ali sits out from the preannounced 12.

Pakistan (Playing XI) - Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi.

Toss - It's time for the all-important toss. Dew is a big factor in Dubai, so in all likelihood, the captain winning the toss would look to bowl first. Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, two modern greats, are in the middle. Up goes the coin, Babar calls correctly and PAKISTAN ELECT TO BOWL FIRST!

... LET'S ROLL ...

That moment has arrived. The highly anticipated Indo-Pak clash is knocking on the door. There are many rivalries in cricket but this rivalry has a special place. More than a game of bat and ball, it's the clash of emotions on both sides of the border and you can feel the nervous energy in the air. Billed as the mother of all battles, expect the mercury to rise even more in the Dubai heat as the arch-rivals clash this evening. Nothing less than a humdinger can justify this epic encounter. On that

Hyped or overhyped, we leave that to your judgement but the clash of these two arch-rivals indeed brings both nations to a standstill. Lockdown is a word overused since the outbreak of the Covid-19 but even before that, it used to be a lockdown kind of situation whenever India locked horns against Pakistan. Such is the rivalry between the two nations that despite one team ruthlessly dominating the other, the charm has never died. This 'mauka mauka' advertisement talks about the hope that Pakista

India meeting Pakistan has often been treated as a war by their fans. But, end of the day, it's a game of cricket. When the players walk out to the middle, they don't think about anything else but to express their game in the best way possible. Pressure will always be there, how you tackle it will decide your fate. You got the skills, you got the talent and you got the class. That's why you're at this mega stage. Eventually, it boils down to how you deal with nerves, how you respond to situation

As far as the players from both sides are concerned, we already know it's a vast pool of talented players. Pakistan though look a bit light in the batting department as they rely mainly on Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman. When you compare that with India's batting, the Men in Blue have proven stars at every position and they are coming into this tournament after participating in an intense season of the Indian T20 League. The bowling of both teams can be considered to be on the sa

Stat - We already know about India's dominance over Pakistan across all World Cups. But another thing worth noting is that India have a win percentage of 87.5 against Pakistan in T20Is and the Men in Green have beaten the Men in Blue only once in 8 attempts.

Rivalry. Pressure. Noise. Memes. Silly ads. Over-the-top predictions. The build-up of this match has been so immense that many thought that the main round of the T20 World Cup 2021 was starting from 24th October. Everywhere there's a buzz. Everyone is talking about this match. No one wants to miss it. It's not exactly once in a lifetime opportunity but quite close to it given the bitter diplomatic relations between the two nations. So enjoy every bit of this rivalry as you don't know when will t

Right then, can India defend the total to keep their streak intact? Will dew play a factor? How will both teams fare in the Powerplay? We will find all the answers in a short while. Stay tuned...

Shaheen Afridi says that getting the big wickets makes him happy. Adds that he worked on getting the ball to swing here as it gets easy for the batters if it doesn't swing. Further adds that batting against the new ball will be a little difficult, but apart from that, it is a good pitch to bat on.

Pakistan's bowling was brilliant in the first 10 overs as they had their rivals on the mat. But they failed to deliver the knockout punch. India found a way to recover as apart from Shadab Khan, no other bowler managed to exert any pressure in the middle overs. Virat Kohli's presence made sure that the strike was getting rotated and India managed to build a decent launching pad for the death overs. The Indian skipper scored a valiant fifty before getting out to Shaheen Afridi who picked the top

It was a shocking start for India as they lost Rohit Sharma for a golden duck and then KL Rahul followed his opening partner soon. Shaheen Afridi showed ruthless form with the new ball and put India in an early spot of bother. Hasan Ali joined in and removed Suryakumar Yadav to make it three down inside the Powerplay. The early nerves for India though settled down after that and Rishabh Pant joined hands with Virat Kohli for a partnership. After a period of consolidation, Pant injected fresh blo

A fantastic last over by Haris Rauf but a couple of overs prior to that has allowed India to breach the 150-run mark. A really good comeback from India after early setbacks and this game is set up nicely. The scorecard reads 151 but it's India versus Pakistan and you can easily add 15-20 runs to the target due to the pressure this clash brings.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, A bye to end! A superb last over then by Rauf! INDIA END WITH 151 FOR 7! Kumar walks right across to play the paddle scoop. Rauf bowls it short and well outside off. Kumar misses. They sneak a run which is a bye. Not wided as Kumar had moved across.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Two more! 150 up for India. Really smart batting from Kumar! Not easy to hit boundaries here. He once again with soft hand works it through mid-wicket and runs two more.

Is that a run out? Mohammed Shami seems to be safe. Yup, he is inside the crease.

Haris Rauf to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, NOT ! Shami is in! These are vital runs! A slower one on middle, this is worked through mid-wicket. Two is the call by Kumar! Shami goes for it, the fielder from long on runs to his right, picks the ball up and fires it to the bowler who takes the bails off and appeals. It is referred but the replays show that Shami is in.

Haris Rauf (3-0-19-0) to bowl the final over. Can India get to 160 here?

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, ! TAKEN! The cool and calm Babar takes a really good and important catch! The man who India would have been relying on to strike boundaries in this last over walks back. A good slower one, on off, Pandya looks to go over long off but is way too early into the shot. He does not pick the slower one. Ends up hitting it high up in the air towards mid off. Long off also runs in but it is Babar who moves towards the ball from covers and takes it. Can Pakistan now

Mohammed Shami walks out to bat now.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, Two! This time Pandya is waiting for the short ball, he pulls it through mid-wicket. It is in the gap. Two taken.

Haris Rauf to Hardik Pandya, A really good start to the last over by Rauf! A slower one, shorter and around off, Pandya looks to pull, this one stays low. Pandya looks to pull but it goes over the off pole.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, FIVE BYES! That is poor from Pakistan. That should have been just the one. 10 from the last two balls of the 19th. 150 is well and truly possible now! This was a good ball on the Free Hit. It is short and outside off, Pandya misses the pull. They look to sneak a bye. Rizwan throws it to the bowler who turns and has a shy but misses. No one backing up and it's a boundary at long off. End of a huge over in the end.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, NO BALL AND ! That is not what Pakistan wanted! Not sure for what it is, maybe for height! A high full toss outside off. Pandya guides it through point and this one races away to the fence. The replay shows that it's a no ball for overstepping. Free Hit time...

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, ! EDGED AND TAKEN! Shaheen Afridi is the man for Pakistan in this big game. Gets the big fish and this could very well stop India from scoring over 150. A really good slower bumper, it lands on middle and moves away at 79 mph. Kohli looks to pull but the tennis-ball like bounce means, it takes the top edge and Rizwan takes a good catch jumping to his right. Excellent with the new ball, impressive at the death, Shaheen is leaving a big impact on this match

Shaheen Afridi to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fuller and on middle, Kumar jams it back towards the right of the bowler for one.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the new man in.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, That is sharp! Really sharp. A short one, Pandya is beaten for pace as he tries to pull. It goes off the gloves but lands on the leg side between the keeper and the bowler who runs towards the ball. One taken. Kohli is back on strike.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, ! That is a beauty of a ball but Shaheen is very unfortunate that it has gone to the fence. A yorker around off at 90 mph, Pandya looks to jam it out but it goes off the bottom edge, runs fine towards third man for a boundary. India will take it!

Who will bowl the penultimate over? Shaheen Afridi (3-0-19-2) is back on. He provided Pakistan with a dream start. Can he finish well here?

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, Swing and a miss! Pandya swung really hard there! A good cutter, length and on off, it lands and then moves away. Pandya looks to flat-bat it but misses.

Shaheen Afridi to Hardik Pandya, WIDE! The idea was not bad but the execution was not right! He goes for a full and wide ball outside off but serves it way too wide. Pandya goes after it but misses. Wided.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Two to end! Jadeja's wicket in it but still 13 from the over. Hasan Ali ends with figures of 4-0-44-2. A slower one on middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for a couple. Two more overs to go, can India get to 150?

Hardik Pandya walks out to bat now. The platform is set for him to provide India with late fireworks.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, ! TAKEN! Hasan Ali strikes back! Big wicket as Jadeja could cause real damage in the last few overs. A really good slower one at 123 kph. Fuller and outside off, Jadeja is early into the whip across the line. He ends up hitting it high up in the air towards deep mid-wicket. Mohammad Nawaz, the sub, runs in and takes a very good catch.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, ! That is yet another poor delivery from Hasan Ali! He is under pressure here! With fine leg up, he bowls this short and on the pads, it is pulled up and over the fine leg fielder for a boundary. Two balls to go in this over, how many more can India get?

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Cramps Kohli for room this time by bowling it on the middle pole, Kohli drops it towards covers and takes one.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Up and over! Stand and deliver! Not the best of nights for Hasan Ali! Short in length and sits up to be hit around off. Kohli smashes it over covers for a boundary.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Two! Fifty for Kohli! Captain's innings! Do not look at the strike rate here. This is a quality knock. He had wickets falling at one end and needed to stay there and that is what he has done. Can he help his side finish well now? He gets there by playing this ball on middle towards mid-wicket for two.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, He does, just the 4 from the 17th. That is brilliant! Bowls the 4th slower one in a row. Kohli works it through square leg and retains strike. Three overs left, can India get to 150?

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Make that three in a row! Two dots out of it! Another slower one, this is on a length and outside off, Kohli guides it to point. Can Rauf end this over well now? 

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Two slower balls in a row now! Really clever from Rauf! Maybe the Indian batters are not expecting slower ones from him. He has bowled two in a row now. This is outside off. Kohli is early into the slash. Misses.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, A very well-disguised slower one, it lands on leg, Jadeja is foxed by the lack of pace, he pushes it to mid off for one.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Kohli now gives himself room! Rauf once again bowls it full. Kohli lofts it but towards sweeper cover for one. He wanted to get that a lot straighter than he did.

Shadab Khan is done with his quota of 4 overs. Change of ends for Haris Rauf (2-0-15-0) as he is back on.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Jadeja now looks to go big as he clears his front leg. Rauf bowls it quite full and on off, Jadeja only manages to push it to mid off and gets to the other end.

Hasan Ali to Ravindra Jadeja, 10 from the over then! A welcome good over for them! Back of a length and on off, Jadeja waits and then guides it to point for one.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Now follows the boundary with a single as he pushes this back-of-a-length ball through covers. 9 from the first 5 balls.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Caressed! Once again a dot is followed by a boundary! This is trademark Kohli. That is a beautiful shot. Fuller and outside off, Kohli leans into it and strokes it past the diving cover fielder. The man at mid off gives it a chase but he has no chance. Top class timing and placement. 

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, BEATEN! Good comeback! Shorter and outside off, extra bounce on this one. Kohli looks to guide it down to third man but is beaten. So a boundary in between two dots in this over so far.

Change. Hasan Ali (2-0-21-1) is back. He was hit for a couple of sixes by Pant in his last over. Ali would want to make amends now.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Not a good ball, just not the ball Babar would have wanted. A slower bumper with the fine leg up. Kohli pulls it, he plays it with a lot of control past short fine leg and into the boundary. He is into the 40s now.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Just short! Hasan Ali almost outsmarted Kohli there. He saw Virat coming down the track and bangs it short. Kohli looks to fend it away but it goes off the splice and lands just short of the bowler, to his right.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, A single to end which means just the 4 from the 15th over. Excellent by Shadab, 4-0-22-1 for him tonight. The last ball is flatter and outside off, Kohli slaps it through covers and gets to the other end to retain strike.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, A little too full, this is crisply hit down to long off for one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Kohli continues to be watchful! On off, Kohli strokes it through covers for one.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Just the one! Singles won't really harm Pakistan! On middle, Jadeja works it wide of the bowler and down to long on for one.

Ravindra Jadeja backs away at the last moment. The ball had already left Shadab Khan's hand but Jadeja backs away. He is quick to apologize to the bowler.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Yet another dot! Tossed up on off, this is pushed to covers.

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Tossed up outside off, Jadeja guides it to point and wants one but is rightly sent back.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, A decent comeback! A dot to end but still 9 from the over. A slower one on off, Kohli lunges and blocks it on the surface.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, ! That is a gift for Kohli and he loved it! A fist pump from him as soon as he hit it! A full toss down the leg side, Kohli flicks it fine and it races away to the fine leg fence.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Rauf probably got a little too excited there! Bangs it way too short. It goes well over the batter's head. Wided.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Just the one this time! Outside off again, Jadeja guides it towards point. The fielder there dives but it goes away from him, down to third man for one. We can really see the Pakistan players diving here and there and putting in a real effort, they are up for this game.

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, Nicely played by Jadeja! Just used the pace! Outside off, this is guided through point. Malik at third man runs to his left, slides and saves two for his side. Really well fielded!

Haris Rauf to Ravindra Jadeja, That is seriously quick! A 148 KPH delivery, it is a yorker on off, Jadeja looks to jam it out but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Haris Rauf is back on. He went for 6 in his first over.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Fuller ball, on off. Blocked back to the bowler.

Ravindra Jadeja is the new man in, perhaps to maintain the left-right combination.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Kohli takes a few steps down the track, this is full and on middle, it is eased down to long on for one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Loopy ball, on off. Kohli pushes it past covers. He jogs for a while and then realizes that there could be a second run available. He sprints after that but the fielder comes in quickly and keeps it to one. A fine successful over from Shadab!

Shadab Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Flatter ball, on off. Jadeja works it towards mid-wicket. Shadab Khan sprints for it and keeps it to one.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Googly, on the pads. Kohli works it past mid-wicket for one.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, ! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! The leggie delivers and this is a big, big moment in the game. Pant was set to tee off but his wicket is a massive setback for India. Shadab Khan tosses this one too, but this is a googly, around middle and off. Pant gets low to slog-sweep but gets a top edge on it. The ball goes miles in the air. Shadab Khan moves back to his left, settles under it and gulps it down near mid on. The 53-run stand has been broken and Pakistan would look

Change! Shadab Khan comes back into the attack now. This could be another over that India will target.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Loopy ball, down the leg side again. Pant misses the sweep now. Wide called.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, down the leg side. Pant looks to sweep but gets a faint edge on it. The ball goes over Rizwan. The man from short fine leg gets across and keeps it to two.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Dot to end but India get 15 from the over. Length ball, on off. Kohli comes down the track and works it to mid-wicket.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Length ball, on the pads. Pant works it to fine leg for a single now. The 50-run stand comes up and this pair has bailed India out from a precarious situation.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Shorter ball, outside off. Pant punches it past point. The man from deep cover gets to his right but Pant and Kohli run hard to get the second run.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, ! Two in a row! Another one-handed biggie! Ali comes over the wicket now. He bowls a slower ball, on a length, outside off. Pant extends his arms and hits it over long off. The bottom hand once again comes off but the ball keeps on flying over the fence. This time Kohli smiles. The momentum is shifting and the crowd is sensing it.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, ! Here comes the Pant special, one-handed maximum! Length ball, around leg. Pant gets low and tries to heave it towards deep square leg. The bottom hand comes off the handle but the ball goes all the way. That is the shorter side of the ground and Pant will likely target that. Babar Azam has a wry smile on his face.

Hasan Ali is back! A wicket in his first over and Azam probably wants another one and hence, gets him back. Can he deliver?

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Length ball, around off. Pant gets down the track but taps it to point. We could see Pant upping the ante now.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Nicely played for a single. Full again, on middle, Pant hits it straight back. Rauf puts his left hand out but does not get to it. The man from long on gets to his right and keeps it to one.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Well bowled. A very full one, just outside off at 152 kph. Pant gets under it but hits it straight towards extra cover.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Length ball, on off, Kohli hits it to the right of the bowler. Rauf dives but cannot get there. The ball goes towards mid on and a single is taken.

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Fuller ball, outside off. Pant drives it towards deep backward point for yet another single.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, On a length, on off. Kohli looks to flick it but it takes the leading edge. The ball goes to third man. Single.

Haris Rauf to Virat Kohli, Rauf has to reload now. Length ball, down the leg side. Kohli misses the flick and the umpire has a bit of arm-stretching to do. Wide!

DRINKS! Have to say, the first 10 overs belonged to Pakistan! They are on top in this game, they got the three wickets and did not let India score freely too. They can't rest on their laurels now though as Pant and Kohli have started to get a move on. One just gets the feeling that the momentum seems to be shifting in the last two overs or so. Can Pakistan strike back after the break or will India move ahead in the game? We will find out. Haris Rauf to bowl after the break...

Haris Rauf to Rishabh Pant, Rauf starts with a shorter ball, outside off. Pant cuts it over covers for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Shorter ball, on off. Pant goes on the back foot and turns it through mid-wicket. India are going run-a-ball at this stage. 

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Darted quicker, on the pads. Pant misses the flick and gets hit on the pads. Hafeez appeals but the ball is possibly going down the leg stump.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Kohli seems to be happy in giving the strike to Pant. Darted on the pads. He works it behind square leg for one.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Loopy ball, around off. Pant comes down the track and works it to long on for one. This is sensible batting.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, ! That is a cracking shot by Pant! Flatter ball, right on the off pole and skidding in with the angle. Pant backs away, waits for it and then cuts it hard. The man at point dives but has no chance. Boundary.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Shorter ball, on leg. Kohli flicks it towards square leg and gets to the other end.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, ! That is a poor ball and it is punished by Pant! Quicker and shorter down the leg side. This is not what you want to bowl when there is a short fine leg as opposed to a fine leg. Pant gets low and hits it over that fielder for a boundary.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, Darted on the pads. Kohli flicks it away to mid-wicket. The bowler runs for it and keeps it to one.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, In the air...but does not carry! Shorter ball, outside off. Pant looks to go downtown but miscues it. The ball goes in the air but lands well short of long off. Had he connected that a bit better, it might have carried all the way to the fielder.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Good fielding in the deep! Short ball, outside off. Pant cuts it past the diving point fielder. It looks like it will reach the fence but the man from sweeper cover gets to his right and dives to stop it. Two taken.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, a googly, quite wide outside off. Pant looks to thump it through covers but gets no bat on it.

Shadab Khan to Virat Kohli, A full one, on middle, Kohli whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, NOT ! UltraEdge shows no spike! This was a very risky shot though. The pressure was getting to him and he tried to break the shackles. Flatter ball, outside off. Pant gets low and attempts the reverse sweep. He gets no bat on it but Rizwan collects the ball and appeals. The appeal is turned down but Rizwan is very confident. The review is taken. UltraEdge shows that there was no bat or glove involved.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Shorter ball, on leg. Kohli works it past mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, around off and a bit short, Pant gets back and cuts it wide of the diving cover-point fielder for a single.

Review time! Rizwan is very, very confident. He has demanded a review and Azam takes it as an appeal for a caught behind is turned down.

Mohammad Hafeez to Virat Kohli, Loopy ball, on leg. Kohli works it to long on for a single.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Nicely played. Tossed up, wide outside off. Pant sweeps it well. The ball goes to the right of deep mid-wicket for one.

Change! Mohammad Hafeez is on now! An off spinner as there is a left-hander out there.

Mohammad Hafeez to Rishabh Pant, Darted on the pads. Rishabh Pant blocks it back to the bowler.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Just 3 from the over and Pakistan are keeping the pressure on India. Loopy ball, on leg. Pant dances down the track and works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Shadab Khan is on now! A leg spinner against Pant, this should be a good contest.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Nicely flighted, on middle and leg. Pant comes down the track and works it to short mid-wicket.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, A touch shorter and wider outside off. Pant cuts it past backward point. The man in the deep gets to his right and keeps it to a couple.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Quicker and shorter, on leg. Pant tucks it to short fine leg. Wonder how long before he plays his natural game here.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Darted on the pads. Pant looks to whip it away but gets hit on the pads.

Shadab Khan to Rishabh Pant, Nicely tossed up, on off, Pant blocks it back to the bowler.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, ! Virat Kohli finishes the Powerplay with a delightful boundary. Fuller in length and outside off, Kohli strides forward and crunches it through cover-point for a glorious boundary. India are struggling at 36/3 after the first 6 overs.

Hasan Ali to Rishabh Pant, Hasan Ali switches to 'round the wicket and delivers it on a length around off, Rishabh Pant steps forward and across before nudging it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Who will India send in now? Here comes Rishabh Pant. It will be very interesting to see how he bats in this situation.

Hasan Ali to Suryakumar Yadav, ! CAUGHT BEHIND! Mohammad Rizwan takes a lovely diving catch. Boom...and boom...goes Hasan Ali in his trademark celebration! Hurls it across on a shortish length, outside off and seaming away with some extra bounce, Suryakumar Yadav flashes his bat at it but only manages to edge it behind. Mohammad Rizwan dives across to his right and grabs a fantastic catch, his 100th in T20s.

Hasan Ali to Suryakumar Yadav, Well bowled. Hasan drops it on a length and around off, angling in and cramping the batsman for room, SKY plays it down from the crease to backward point.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Shortish and outside off, Virat Kohli runs it down to third man and takes a single. No ball called for overstepping. Free Hit loading... Free Hit not loading actually. There was a lot of confusion. The umpire did raise his hand sideways but then he may have got a confirmation from upstairs that the foot is behind the line. It is a legal delivery.

Hasan Ali to Virat Kohli, Starts with a length ball, angling in from around off, Kohli jumps down the track and works it off his pads. It rolls towards mid on.

Change in bowling. Hasan Ali is set to steam in now.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Shaheen Afridi tries to surprise the batsman with a yorker but it turns out to be a low full toss around off, Kohli bunts it down to mid off and scampers across to the other end. 9 from this over and Shaheen Afridi is done with his three overs. India can take a breather now.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, ! This one has been nailed by the Indian skipper. Three dots, the pressure was building and Kohli decides to send the bowler packing. Shaheen serves it on a length around leg, Virat steps back to make room and launches it over long on.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Slightly short in length and around off, once again Virat Kohli hangs on the back foot and punches it through the line. Finds cover-point. Three dots.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Shaheen Afridi cuts down on his length a bit, lands it around off, angling away, Virat stays back and taps it down to backward point.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Lands it around off, on a fuller length, Virat Kohli presses forward to push it to the off side. Finds the cover fielder.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Delivers it on a length around middle, Kohli walks forward and nudges it in the gap at mid-wicket. Good running between the wickets and they take a couple of runs.

Will Shaheen Afridi bowl his third over? Here he comes. Babar Azam would love one more wicket from him in the Powerplay.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, ! Suryakumar Yadav means business! Full and flighted around off, SKY goes down on one knee and sweeps it sweetly through backward square leg for a boundary. Showing no nerves.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fullish and around off, Kohli gets forward and pushes it with soft hands at covers for one.

Imad Wasim to Suryakumar Yadav, Shout for an lbw! Tossed up, landing full and just outside off, Suryakumar Yadav tries to sweep but misses. It goes off his pads to short third man and they appeal. The batsmen cross. Given as a leg bye. That hit the batsman outside the line. Babar Azam doesn't take the review after having a word with Mohammad Rizwan. 

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Flatter and on middle, defended towards short mid-wicket.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Loopy and full on middle, Virat gets forward and defends it quietly to the leg side.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fuller and on off, Kohli drives it back past the bowler to long on for one.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, ! Up, up and over the fielder! This is how Suryakumar Yadav knows to play. Short in length, around off, Yadav gets on top of the bounce, uses his wrists well as he pulls it over square leg. The fielder in the deep runs across, jumps but it flies over him. First boundary of the game for India.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, On a length around middle, Kohli uses his wrists and works it through square leg for a single.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, Fullish and close to off, SKY whips it wide of mid on for one.

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, A low full toss around off, Yadav works it around from the toe end of his bat.

Suryakumar Yadav finds himself in the middle now. His first time in a World Cup and he finds himself in a pressure situation. How will he respond?

Shaheen Afridi to Suryakumar Yadav, Serves it on a length around middle and off, Yadav defends it from the back foot to mid off.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, ! STUMPS SHATTERED! India's batsman in form, KL Rahul is dismissed cheaply. Shaheen Afridi is on fire. That's quick, more than 140 kph and moves back in a bit late. Very difficult to play those. On a length around off, Rahul stays back to play across the line but misses. It nips back in, perhaps takes the inner half of his bat and then deflects onto the stumps off the thigh pad. Afridi is up and running in celebration.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Quicker again, flat and on off, this time Rahul punches it down to long on and takes a single. A couple of very good overs from Pakistan.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Arm ball on middle, on the shorter side, KL moves back and punches it on the leg side. Finds mid-wicket.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Fuller and flatter on middle, Kohli knocks it down through mid on for one.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Tossed up but around leg, skidding down, Rahul nudges it to the left of short fine leg and picks up a run.

Imad Wasim to KL Rahul, Another arm ball, short and around off, Rahul goes back and punches it to covers.

Imad Wasim to Virat Kohli, Flighted one, full and on middle, an arm ball, Kohli flicks it from the inner portion of his bat to short fine leg. It rolls to the right of the fielder inside the ring and they cross.

Will we see some spin from the other end? Yup, here comes Imad Wasim.

The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, walks out to bat. A lot earlier than he would have liked.

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Kohli opens his account. Shaheen delivers it on a length around off, Kohli gets forward to push at it but the ball takes the inner half and rolls to the right of mid on. They take a run. What a first over by Shaheen Afridi! 

Shaheen Afridi to Virat Kohli, Back of a length, around off and angling away, Kohli walks across to cover his stumps and then makes a leave.

Shaheen Afridi to Rohit Sharma, ! Rohit Sharma bags a golden duck! Pakistan strike early and the crowd roars. Plumb lbw. Fuller and straighter from Shaheen, it's in the line of the stumps, good pace and Rohit is very late in bringing his bat down. He is struck on the back pad, they appeal and the finger has gone up. You cannot get more plumb than this. Rohit knows that and returns without even thinking about reviewing the decision.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, India are away! On a length and around leg, KL gets back and taps it down towards square leg for a single.

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, Full again, around off, Rahul drives from the middle of the blade to covers and Babar Azam stops it with a dive.

Right then! We are done with the pre-match formalities. Babar Azam has his team in a huddle before they spread out on the field. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul stride out to bat for India. A few words are exchanged between Sharma and Azam. Indian team has taken the knee to protest racial discrimination while the Pakistanis have their hands on their heart to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Shaheen Afridi with the first ball. Here we go...

Shaheen Afridi to KL Rahul, Starts by pitching it up and around off, a bit of movement, KL Rahul presses forward and pushes it gently to the off side.

Folks, we are set for the mega-clash to begin! But first, the players walk out for the national anthems. First, the anthem of Pakistan will be played followed by India's. What a moment! The stadium is jam-packed and as players, you dream of playing in front of a sellout crowd.

India (Playing XI) - KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

Hardik Pandya is down for a chat. He says that it is not easy to stay calm in these situations but he tries not to get too hyped by the situation. Adds that he tries to stay away from social media before such clashes. States that as a team they try to keep things professional and look to execute their plans. Informs that his back is good but he won't be bowling in this game, but at some point of time in the tournament, he would love to bowl. Further adds that the medical team will play an import

Stat - We had talked about one stat against Pakistan but there is one stat that is heavily loaded in their favour. They have 15 wins in T20Is in Dubai which is the most by any team and Pakistan are unbeaten at this venue since 2016. 

Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, says that he is pretty happy with setting the target. Adds that he would have bowled first but the toss is not in their control. Says that they have a balanced side. Adds that they want to stay as professional as possible, the key is to stay focused and do the basics right. Further adds that as players they need to disconnect from the emotional side of things and execute their plans. Shares that the pitch looks different than what it looked in the Indian T20 Lea

Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, says they are going to bowl first. Tells that they would look for early wickets and try to put India under pressure. Also adds that the dew is on their mind. States he is looking forward to this game and they are well prepared. Adds Pakistan have always been a good bowling side but this time their batting is also good and they are confident. Ends by informing Haider Ali sits out from the preannounced 12.

Pakistan (Playing XI) - Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi.

Toss - It's time for the all-important toss. Dew is a big factor in Dubai, so in all likelihood, the captain winning the toss would look to bowl first. Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, two modern greats, are in the middle. Up goes the coin, Babar calls correctly and PAKISTAN ELECT TO BOWL FIRST!

... LET'S ROLL ...

That moment has arrived. The highly anticipated Indo-Pak clash is knocking on the door. There are many rivalries in cricket but this rivalry has a special place. More than a game of bat and ball, it's the clash of emotions on both sides of the border and you can feel the nervous energy in the air. Billed as the mother of all battles, expect the mercury to rise even more in the Dubai heat as the arch-rivals clash this evening. Nothing less than a humdinger can justify this epic encounter. On that

Hyped or overhyped, we leave that to your judgement but the clash of these two arch-rivals indeed brings both nations to a standstill. Lockdown is a word overused since the outbreak of the Covid-19 but even before that, it used to be a lockdown kind of situation whenever India locked horns against Pakistan. Such is the rivalry between the two nations that despite one team ruthlessly dominating the other, the charm has never died. This 'mauka mauka' advertisement talks about the hope that Pakista

India meeting Pakistan has often been treated as a war by their fans. But, end of the day, it's a game of cricket. When the players walk out to the middle, they don't think about anything else but to express their game in the best way possible. Pressure will always be there, how you tackle it will decide your fate. You got the skills, you got the talent and you got the class. That's why you're at this mega stage. Eventually, it boils down to how you deal with nerves, how you respond to situation

As far as the players from both sides are concerned, we already know it's a vast pool of talented players. Pakistan though look a bit light in the batting department as they rely mainly on Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman. When you compare that with India's batting, the Men in Blue have proven stars at every position and they are coming into this tournament after participating in an intense season of the Indian T20 League. The bowling of both teams can be considered to be on the sa

Stat - We already know about India's dominance over Pakistan across all World Cups. But another thing worth noting is that India have a win percentage of 87.5 against Pakistan in T20Is and the Men in Green have beaten the Men in Blue only once in 8 attempts.

Rivalry. Pressure. Noise. Memes. Silly ads. Over-the-top predictions. The build-up of this match has been so immense that many thought that the main round of the T20 World Cup 2021 was starting from 24th October. Everywhere there's a buzz. Everyone is talking about this match. No one wants to miss it. It's not exactly once in a lifetime opportunity but quite close to it given the bitter diplomatic relations between the two nations. So enjoy every bit of this rivalry as you don't know when will t