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India edge past Pakistan

India beat rivals Pakistan by six runs at the T20 World Cup in New York, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming three for 14.

Picture: AAP Image

Pakistan were hoping to bounce back from their shock opening loss to the USA and appeared well on course to do that after bowling out India, for whom only Rishabh Pant (42), Axar Patel (20) and Rohit Sharma (13) reached double figures, cheaply.

A Pakistan victory still seemed on the cards as they reached 80 for three after 14 overs in response, but the loss of opener Mohammad Rizwan for a 44-ball 31, bowled by Bumrah, saw the tide turn.

With the run rate continuing to rise and the India attack, led by the brilliant Bumrah, giving little away, there was too much work left for Pakistan's middle order as they were restricted to 113 for seven.

That left India with two wins from two in Group A and 2022 runners-up Pakistan staring at an early exit.

After rain had delayed the start of the match, Pakistan were quickly among the wickets after sending India into bat as star duo Virat Kohli and Sharma fell in the opening three overs.

India regathered thanks to a 39-run partnership from Pant and Patel but that came to an end when the latter, in attempting to accelerate the innings, was cleaned up by the impressive Naseem Shah (three for 21) when he came dancing down the track.

At 89 for three in the 12th, India would still have been targeting a much larger total than they ended up with but, with Haris Rauf (three for 21) and Mohammad Amir (two for 23) building on Shah's efforts, they lost their last seven wickets for just 30 runs.

Despite that collapse though, India would have known they were still well in the game as New York has been a venue where runs have been difficult to come by at the start of the World Cup – and so it proved for Pakistan.

They made a steady start but lost captain and talisman Babar Azam for 13 in the fifth over when he clipped Bumrah into the hands of Suryakumar Yadav.

Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan also fell having scored 13 but Rizwan seemed to be edging Pakistan towards victory until the game turned with six overs to go when Bumrah bowled the dangerous opener with his side 40 runs from victory.

Pakistan were still in contention, needing 21 from 12 balls with five wickets in hand, when Bumrah returned to have Iftikhar Ahmed caught by Arshdeep Singh in a penultimate over that cost just three runs, and there was no way back for Babar's side after that.

Meanwhile, Scotland gave themselves a great chance of reaching the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup with a comprehensive victory over Oman.

They claimed a seven-wicket victory with nearly seven overs to spare in Antigua to put England in serious danger of an early exit.

England, who have Oman and Namibia still to play, can only now pip Scotland, who face Australia in their final group game, on run rate.

After restricting Oman to 150 for seven from their 20 overs, George Munsey and Brandon McMullen starred with the bat to guide Scotland to 153 for three from 13.1 overs.

Safyaan Sharif made his 200th appearance for Scotland, replacing Brad Currie, who has a minor injury, and becoming the first bowler to achieve the landmark.

Oman chose to bat but wickets fell at regular intervals, with Nassem Khushi the first to go, mistiming a shot off Chris Sole to Mark Watt.

Aqib Ilyas was then bowled by Sharif before Zeeshan Maqsood nicked behind off Watt and was smartly caught by Matthew Cross.

Scotland felt they should have had a wicket when Khalid Kail pulled away after Watt had released the ball and it hit the wicket but the umpire ruled it a dead ball.

Kail headed back to the pavilion shortly afterwards, though, following a mix-up at the crease to leave Oman 71 for four.

Pratik Athavale remained and he was dropped, while Cross missed a stumping, but the opener was unable to make Scotland pay when he was caught by McMullen for 54.

A strong final over from Ayaan Khan, who ended unbeaten on 41, took Oman to what appeared a defendable total, but Scotland had other ideas.

Michael Jones fell early but Munsey and McMullen picked up the pace, at one stage hitting 30 runs from just eight balls, before the former top-edged a catch to Shakeel Ahmed to fall for 41 from 20 balls.

Richie Berrington was bowled for only 13 but McMullen carried Scotland to victory with 61 from 31 balls, supported by a late cameo from Cross.

McMullen told Sky Sports: "The main priority was to win the game and get the two points. But at the drinks break we decided to have a crack at the net run rate."

He declared himself "very confident" of reaching the Super 8, adding: "It gives us confidence going into the Australia game. We've done really well as a group so far. We've got to stay level-headed, keep raising that bar."


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