Super Sixes SRL | IND vs PAK Evaluation Chart - Babar Azam and bowlers devour India in one-sided affair

BySritama Panda, SportsCafe Editor

04/26/2020

After having lost their first three games of International Super Sixes, India were handed a big defeat in the fourth by a margin of 48 runs to Pakistan. Babar Azam’s heroics, besides significant performances by Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, have helped the team win their second game in a row.

Match Review

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Indian bowlers found themselves at a loss against Pakistan openers. The next big thing in the T20I format, Babar Azam fearlessly charged at the Indian bowling attack right from the start whilst forming a stable 99-run first-wicket partnership with Fakhar Zaman. Following that, even though big partnerships weren’t formed, Pakistan kept adding runs at a fairly good pace. In the end, Pakistan were able to put up a total of 175/5 on the board.

In reciprocation to the target of 176, India looked fairly confident at the start squeezing out runs regularly until Rohit Sharma’s wicket fell in the sixth over. Meanwhile, KL Rahul continued adding to the chase but was dismissed by Imad Wasim in the 10th over. Since then, India lost wickets at regular intervals and the run rate started taking a hit as the asking rate soared high. In the end, India were bowled all out in the final over with a 48-run deficit.

Turning Point

To me, the turning point of the game was KL Rahul’s dismissal in the 10th over. At that point, India were looking steady in the chase, even though the run rate wasn’t exceptional, at 73/2 off 9.2 overs. Post that, India never picked up pace or formed a partnership good enough to sail the ship for India.

Highs and Lows

I believe the high of the game was the second over of India’s innings which made it look like a perfect stage for a proper T20 competition. Since the target of 176 was fairly high, KL Rahul whacking Mohammad Amir all around the park was but a delight early in India’s innings. He added 12 runs in that over, hitting a SIX and a boundary and announcing war - which was an absolute T20 delight!

According to me, the low of this game was Virat Kohli’s consistently poor form. After a golden duck against England, the Indian captain once again failed against South Africa in the previous game, scoring only 13 off 5. And again, today he was dismissed for 14 off 11, during a very crucial stage of the chase, by Imad Wasim.

Rating Charts

Powerplay exploitation: - Pakistan (10/10) and India (7/10)

At the end of the Powerplay, Pakistan were 77/0 with the openers firing right from the start, sparing no Indian bowler. In the sixth over itself, 11 runs were added. And Pakistan looked in full form and confidence with Babar Azam on 45* off 24 and Fakhar Zaman on 23* off 12 at that point. India were frantically using their bowling options to help restrict the scoring but nothing worked.

On the other hand, at the end of the Powerplay, India were on 48/1, at a run rate of 8, while chasing 176. Shaheen Shah Afridi got rid of vice-captain Rohit Sharma in the final over of the Powerplay, hence breaking the steady partnership with KL Rahul, who was batting on 25 off 16 at that point and with Kohli just joining him in the middle.

Middle overs:- Pakistan (8/10) and India (3/10)

The Pakistan team were at a promising position end of the first six overs, at 77 for no loss, and made full use of it going into the middle overs. The 1st-wicket partnership, off 99 runs off just 56 balls, was broken in the 10th over but Azam refused to stop hitting all over the park. He added a 49-ball 80 before getting dismissed in the 14th over. At the end of 15th overs, Pakistan were on 144/2, with Hafeez and Malik in the middle.

On the other hand, India were looking shakier with every passing over after the Powerplay. KL Rahul was dismissed in the 10th over when India were on 73/2, and they never recovered in the chase post that. At the end of the 15th over, India had lost four more wickets and the score was 106/6 with 70 runs required off 30 balls and Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya in the middle.

Death Bowling: - India (7/10) and Pakistan (8/10)

At the end of the 15th over, India were able to instill some calm after the Babar Azam storm. At that point, Pakistan were on 144/2, but in the final five overs, they were able to just 31 more runs while losing three wickets. Chahal and Bumrah were able to contain the runs fairly well after a lot of damage was done in the preceding overs. All in all, it was a decent death bowling performance.

On the other hand, Pakistan bowlers already had the edge over India, who were struggling in the chase with 70 more runs required in the final five overs with only four wickets remaining and no one from the top order. They did make most of the situation and dismissed all the remaining four batsmen as they toiled to add 26 runs somehow.

Match Frenzy O Meter - Average

It was anything but a well-fought T20 competition between two fully equipped teams with a great set of players. Pakistan were top almost all throughout the game and the bowlers kept India under check during the chase. Given the India-Pakistan hype, the game was but disappointing.