Andy Bull's match report
Righto, time for me to knock this one on the head. Andy Bull’s report from the Nassau stadium will be along shortly. Thanks for all your comments and fine company – lovely to hear from plenty of new OBOers scattered around the globe. We’ll be back soon to bring you more action, til then – goodbye!
Rohit Sharma has the air of a man who knows his side got away with a big one there:
We didn’t bat well enough. I thought halfway through that we were in a good position, you expect guys to stitch partnerships together. We were 15-20 runs short, and every run matters. Nevertheless the bowlers did the job. It was a good wicket compared to the one we played on here (against Ireland).
There’s a never-say-die attitude in the team. We wanted to make early inroads but we didn’t. At the halfway stage we got together and said if things can happen to us, they can happen to them too.
The little contributions from everyone make the difference. Whoever has the ball wants to make the difference. Bumrah is going from strength to strength. I’m not going to talk too much about him, we want him to be in that kind of mindset till the end of this World Cup, he’s a genius with the ball.
The crowd was superb, they never disappoint, wherever we play in the world, they come out in huge numbers and support us. They’ll be going home with a big smile on their face as well. It’s just the start of the tournament, we have a long way to go.”
Meanwhile – ICYMI – Scotland have breezed past Oman and really set English nerves on edge. A great win for them against a tricky Oman side – Brandon McMullen playing a blinder to score 61* off just 31 balls to see the Scots home by 41 runs.
That does their run rate the world of good and piles plenty of misery and pressure on England. It feels like another disastrous World Cup Campaign in the offing for Messrs Buttler and Mott. That sound? An array of knives being sharpened.
Scotland beat Oman emphatically by seven wickets in 13.1 overs 🏴
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 9, 2024
HUGE result for their net run rate 💪 pic.twitter.com/jyybMiuIvl
Babar Azam speaks: He’ll rue that one in years to come. His side will feel they slipped up massively on the biggest stage.
I think they bowled well after ten overs. We were chasing 120 and we were a run a ball for the first 10 overs but back to back wickets and we left too much to do in the end.
Our tactics were simple, play normally, rotate strike, score five or six an over. We had too many dot balls, the pressure was on us, and we lost three quick wickets. We have not capitalised properly, the pitch looked decent and the ball was coming on nicely. It was a little bit slow and some balls are bouncing a bit more, but you expect that with a drop-in pitch.”
Bumrah is Player of the Match: He took 3-14 and snuffed out Pakistan’s hopes.
It feels really good! We felt we were a little under par (with the bat), and when the sun came out, the wicket got a little better, so we had to be really disciplined. I tried to keep it simple, tried to hit the seam as much as I can, focus on my execution.
On the crowd:
It felt like we were in India, and the cheering is really appreciated, we were really happy with the support we got, it gave us a lot of energy. We’re focused on the now. We’ve played two games and played very good cricket. We’ll stick to our processes, and come out and try our best.”
It’s been a very exciting World Cup so far, it feels like there are plenty more stories to come too…
For those focussed on New York, Scotland have just chased 151 against Oman in 13.1 overs. They have five points, the maximum England can reach, and have given their net run rate a big boost too. It's now probable that neither of the 2022 finalists makes it through the group stage
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) June 9, 2024
We're about three pretty plausible results away from one of the US or Scotland reaching the semis of this World Cup.
— Stephan Shemilt (@stephanshemilt) June 9, 2024
India win by six runs!
India pull it off! What a bowling performance from them. Fantastic game, Pakistan will rue their batting approach massively – they left themselves with too much to do at the end, a braver approach might have seen them get the win before the game went down to the wire.
Naseem Shah is in tears as he walks off, he got his side close there at the end but simply had too much to do. The Rizwan and Zaman wickets felt like the turning point in Pakistan’s innings. Hardik Pandya bowled very well in the middle overs and Jasprit Bumrah was nearly impossible to get away on a sticky wicket. His penultimate over was a killer, going for just three runs.
Pakistan were 57-0 after ten overs but fell away in the second ten. Losing wickets steadily and failing to find the run a ball needed. 120 is the smallest total that India have defended in T20I and also the lowest target that Pakistan have failed to chase. It was there for Pakistan but their campaign now lies in tatters.
Updated
19.5 overs: 12 needed off two balls… Naseem splices away for a four, too little too late unless there is a no-ball. Pakistan need 8 from 1 ball.
19.4 overs: Four – ramped away over the keeper by Naseem Shah!
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19.3 overs: Leg bye. Game slipping away.
19.2 overs: Just a single to Naseem Shah down to long off. Not enough for Pakistan.
Updated
WICKET! Imad Wasim c †Pant b Arshdeep Singh 15 (102-7)
Imad is caught behind off the first ball of the last over. I’ll ball-by-ball this from here. Why not. I feel alive!
19th over: Pakistan 102-6 (Imad 15) What an over from Bumrah – a wicket and just three runs off it.
Pakistan need 18 from six balls. A big big big ask.
Shaheen Shah Afridi comes out the to the middle with his long handle.
WICKET! Iftikhar Ahmed c Arshdeep Singh b Bumrah 5 (Pakistan 102-6)
Nearly a collision in the field but Arshdeep holds on to a swirling catch safely and the Indian crowd are in raptures.
Bumrah bowls his cutter and a slower bouncer. Both end in dots. Hssssss goes the pressure cooker. Swing and a miss from Iftikhar! Dots are deadly for Pakistan. A knee-roll high full bunger is miss-hit into the leg side and brings a single.
Here comes Jasprit Bumrah with the penultimate over. Great atmosphere, fantastic spectacle. Time for a hero.
18th over: Pakistan 99-5 (Imad 13, Iftikhar 5) Siraj to bowl the eighteenth. I reckon Bumrah will have the next. A single to Imad Wasim. Siraj then bowls a dot but over steps! FREE HIT. Pakistan get two runs off the freebie, bit of a cardinal sin their from Siraj in the circumstances. Iftikhar Ahmed is the new batter, he chops to backward point for a single. Siraj sends down a wide down the leg side, signs of nerves from him too in this over. Every bonus run is succour for Pakistan here.
Nine off the over in total – 21 needed from 12 balls for Pakistan.
17th over: Pakistan 90-5 (Imad 10, Iftikhar 1) Pakistan are slipping under. Just five runs off Pandya’s over and the wicket. 30 needed from 18 balls. Jasprit Bumrah will bowl six of them – it’s just a case of when.
WICKET! Shadab Khan c Pant b Pandya 4 (Pakistan 88-5)
Another one goes! Shadab goes down the leg side and is followed by Pandya -the batter takes the short ball on but gets only a top edge, Pant scooching round to take the catch. Pandya has his second wicket, he’s come up with the goods today once more. We’re going down to the wire aren’t we? Way down in the hole.
16th over: Pakistan 85-4 Imad 7, Shadab 1) Pakistan starting to stare into the pressure cooker. Just a couple of singles off Axar Patel.
35 needed from 24 balls. Bumrah is being kept on ice for the time being, Hardik will bowl the next. Maybe a bit of calculated risk taking from Pakistan needed off this over? They can’t leave themselves too much to do.
15th over: Pakistan 73-3 Imad 7, Shadab 1) Shadab Khan is the new man and he steps out into the recently created cauldron on Long Island. Excellent over from Bumrah, just three runs and the massive wicket of Rizwan off it. Every ball is now cheered at maximum volume. Great to have a close game for this spectacle.
Pakistan need 37 from 30. Bumrah still has one over to bowl.
WICKET! Rizwan b Bumrah 31 (Pakistan 80-4)
BUMRAH BOWLS RIZWAN! Epic scenes inside the Nassau stadium as a sea of blue comes to life when they realise that Bumrah has skittled the key man. This game is on.
14th over: Pakistan 73-3 (Rizwan 31, Imad 5) Bonus runs for Pakistan as Imad gets a genuine edge off Arshdeep and it flies along the baize for four. Just two more singles off the over to keep things on the simmer.
40 needed from 36 balls. Here comes Jasprit Bumrah!
13th over: Pakistan 73-3 (Rizwan 30, Imad 0) Left-handed Imad Wasim joins Rizwan in the middle. The tension ratcheting up a notch after the wicket and a couple of dots. The Indian fans are significantly more vocal than they were just a couple of minutes ago. Hardik foxes Imad with a slower ball, and gets out of the over for just a single and the wicket. Game on… and all eyes on Rizwan.
Updated
WICKET! Fakhar Zaman c Pant b Pandya 13 (Pakistan 73-3)
Hardik Pandya to bowl his third over. Gone! Fakhar comes down to try and smear a short of a length ball but gets a top edge through to Pant. The keeper seemed to lose the ball momentarily as it looped over his helmet but he clung on. Could be a BIG wicket.
12th over: Pakistan 72-2 (Rizwan 29, Zaman 13) Arshdeep strays onto the pads with a half volley and is whipped away fine for by Fakhar. The green sections of the crowd are just daring to believe… Decent comeback from Singh who restricts it to just six off the over after the first ball boundary.
48 from 48. You do the math(s).
11th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Rizwan 28, Zaman 8) Fakhar Zaman is the new man. He can hit a loooong ball and enjoys a big stage. Stand by your beds. A couple of singles, the game bubbling away. SIX! Have some of that – what nerves? Fakhar Zaman trots down and launches a big one into the crowd. I think that is the best approach for Pakistan – get this target down, don’t let it go to a nervy finish at the end. (Imploring for a friend…)
WICKET! Usman Khan lbw b Patel 13 (Pakistan 57-2)
India strike with the first ball after drinks. Axar slides one onto Usman Khan and pins him in front. The umpire somewhat inexplicably doesn’t give it on the field but Rohit reviews and India take their second wicket.
10th over: Pakistan 57-1 (Rizwan 27, Khan 13) Just two singles off Jadeja’s first five balls. Something’s gonna give… sure enough Rizwan shimmy’s down and lifts him over extra cover for four.
Time for a drink – where’s your money? How are your nerves?
Pakistan need 63 runs from 60 balls. Simple – non?
9th over: Pakistan 51-1 (Rizwan 22, Khan 12) Very nearly a run out! Usman Khan set off for a single that didn’t exist and was sent back by Rizwan – a direct hit and it was curtains by a long way, but the throw missed. A legitimate single follows. Shot! Khan swivels a pull away off Pandya for four. A clip for two and another well judged (ahem) single make it nine off the over and brings 50 up for Pakistan.
8th over: Pakistan 42-1 (Rizwan 20, Khan 5) Blink and you miss it, Jadeja gets in and out for four singles.
7th over: Pakistan 38-1 (Rizwan 18, Khan 3) Siraj smashes another into Rizwan’s gloves. That hurt too. It’s a top over from the seamer – beating the edge, mixing up his pace and conceding just three runs. Here comes Jadeja and his karate bandana. He’s an OBO scribes’ nightmare with his warp speed overs. Don’t distract me will you!
6th over: Pakistan 35-1 (Rizwan 17, Khan 1) I wonder if Pakistan could’ve been a bit more aggressive in the poweplay and risked a couple of wickets in order to take more of a chunk out of the total? Things will get a whole lot harder in the middle overs with the field set back. Hardik Pandya is going to bowl the last over of the powerplay. Rizwan dances down and smears him over the offside for SIX. That’s What Ahm Talkin’ About.
A short ball is gloved into the off side and seems to have hurt Rizwan. He gives it a shake. It’ll take more than that to stop him, remember when he did a stint in the ICU with a chest infection before a clutch match in the T20 World Cup a few years ago?
Anyway, nine runs off the over. A decent one for Pakistan. Bumrah is going to bowl his third, get through this unscathed and dare to dream? Yes, yes – hypocrite warning.
5th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Rizwan 10, Khan 0) Usman Khan is the new batter and he’s beaten by Bumrah first ball. The tension creeps up a notch. And again! Nervy poke from Khan at a lifting delivery outside off. India sense this is their time to pounce.
Updated
WICKET! Babar Azam c Yadav b Bumrah 13 (Pakistan 26-1)
He is! A spitting ball from Bumrah that Babar steers low to Yadav at slip. The umpires check the catch but it is clean. India have the breakthrough.
Updated
Babar times a pull off Bumrah for four but is he out off the next ball?
4th over: Pakistan 21-0 (Rizwan 9, Babar 9) Siraj is full to Babar who drives back at him, the ball bursting off the bowler’s fingertips, that’s another chance gone down – a lot harder than Dube’s but India can’t afford to gift too many lives with a small-ish target on the board. The runs dry up a little for Pakistan, Siraj is back of a length and at a decent lick. Just two off the over, the openers setting their stall out.
3rd over: Pakistan 19-0 (Rizwan 8, Babar 9) Rizwan slices a drive past the infield. Bumrah splutters into the crease in his inimitable way… DROP! Rizwan flicks a length ball away and it goes flat and straight to Shivam Dube on the boundary edge AND HE SPILLS IT. Straight in and straight out. A simple chance gone begging. Could be a costly miss, four runs off the over.
2nd over: Pakistan 15-0 (Rizwan 5, Babar 8) Beautiful drive through long on for four by Babar Azam, it wasn’t too full by Siraj but a checked drive sees the ball beat the fielder and trace away to the fence. Babar gets a thick edge for a single. Close! What a ball from Siraj, opened Rizwan up like a can of tuna, somehow the ball missed the edge and the off stump. Two more dots and a single sees Rizwan keep strike.
Steady as she goes for Pakistan.
Jasprit Bumrah will bowl the next over. Crucial passage in the game incoming.
“It might have been a mistake to get Jadeja out for a golden duck. He’s not going to be happy and is likely to be almost unplayable on this pitch.” Muses Dean Kinsella.
“Which Pakistani batsman will stand up here? I think Babar needs to stay there as long as possible, not taking too many risks. What fun.”
1st over: Pakistan 9-0 (Rizwan 4, Babar 3) Rizwan drives into the off side and gets the ball in the gap, three runs off the first ball brings Babar on strike. Pakistan’s captain is off the mark in almost identical fashion – three runs picked up with a push in the gap. Arshdeep doesn’t quite nail his length and serves up a couple of wides. Decent start to the chase – nine off the over.
Here come the Pakistan openers – Rizwan and Babar will face up to Arshdeep Singh. A fast start will settle some nerves for the men in green – early wickets and we could be in for a tense few hours. Play!
Pakistan need 120 runs to win!
Extremely gettable but can Pakistan hold their nerve on the biggest stage. They’ll have Jasprit Bumrah and co to deal with very shortly.
WICKET! Arshdeep Singh run out (Babar Azam/Mohammad Rizwan) 9 (India
A frenetic penultimate over sees misfields and erratic throws aplenty. Babar’s boys getting a bit too emotional out there – gifting some cheap runs unnecessarily. That’s it now though – Singh is run out by a country mile and Pakistan have bowled India out with an over to spare! Game on!
18th over: India 113-9 (Singh 9, Siraj 1) Blimey – it’s been a high octane innings, Haris Rauf still has an over to come too – if we get there. Every run crucial now, this isn’t an easy pitch by any means but it feels like this is below par from India.
WICKET! Bumrah c Imad Wasim b Haris Rauf 0 (India 112-9)
Haris Rauf on a hat-trick now! Bumrah is caught first ball!
WICKET! Hardik Pandya c Iftikhar Ahmed b Haris Rauf 7 (India 112-8)
Big wicket! Hardik falls after flaying a boundary over point. That could dent India’s final total significantly!
Updated
17th over: India 106-7 (Pandya 9, Singh 1) Mohammad Amir to bowl his final over. Arshdeep hoicks away over the in-field for a very welcome boundary for India. He’s then clobbered on the shoulder by a short ball. A brief delay whilst he is checked over but he is good to keep going. Arshdeep is hopping around his crease like a lizard on a Balearic patio. Six runs off the over. Amir closes with 2-23 off his four overs. Three overs to go.
16th over: India 100-7 (Pandya 1, Singh 3) Naseem bowling his last – Pakistan going for the kill here. A play and a miss as Pandya is beaten outside off stump. Two singles, India have had all impetus ripped out in the last few overs. All eyes on Hardik to see if he can muscle some boundaries and get them to a more competitive score. Naseem goes yorker and bouncer combinayshun, Just three runs off the over and Naseem Shah finishes with 3-21 off his four overs. Excellent.
Updated
15th over: India 97-7 (Pandya 0, Singh 1) Arshdeep Singh manages to block out the hat-trick ball and then clips off his pads for a single. Just one run and two wickets off the over!
WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja c Imad Wasim b Mohammad Amir 0 (India 96-7)
Mohammed Amir is on a hat-trick! Jadeja pokes one to the close in fielder and goes first ball. Jubilant scenes for Pakistan and their fans in New York!
WICKET! Rishabh Pant c Babar Azam b Mohammad Amir 42 (India 96-6)
It’s the key man too! Pant is gone – caught driving down the ground but not getting a full piece. Pakistan are on one!
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14th over: India 96-4 (Pant 42, Pandya 0) Hardik Pandya is the new batter. He takes a step down and tries to bunt Naseem Shah on the up through the cover but it is straight to the fielder. A huge cheer as the NO BALL siren goes off – Naseem has overstepped. FREE HIT TIME. HoHo. Hardik throws the kitchen sink, kettle, fridge and toaster at the length ball and connects with a whole load of nothing. Just two runs and a wicket off the over.
WICKET! Dube c & b Naseem Shah 3 (India 95-5)
A soft dismissal but Naseem and Pakistan don’t care! Dube pops it back with his feet in cement. India five down, more being lumped on Pant’s shoulders with each wicket and slimline over.
13th over: India 94-4 (Pant 41, Dube 3) Pakistan put the squeeze on. Imad Wasim trots in and whirls away, just four runs off the over as India can’t get him off the square. The game is in the balance and the sun is beating down on Long Island. Lovely stuff.
12th over: India 90-4 (Pant 40, Dube 1) Haris Rauf is amped up, he fields the ball off his own bowling as new man Shivam Dube pats one back, the bowler then gestures to throw the ball back at him/the stumps. A few boos and jeers from the Indian contingent, it’s a charged atmosphere. Great stuff. Just a single and the wicket off the over.
There's something about the Pakistani team's body language today. Yes, a couple of tough chances have gone down. But there are moments where they're really showing what this game means to them. A marked improvement. #T20WorldCup
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) June 9, 2024
Updated
WICKET! Suryakumar Yadav c Mohammad Amir b Haris Rauf 7 (India 89-4)
Gone! Yadav splices to mid-off where Amir takes a simple catch and throws the ball hard into the turf. Pakistan needed that, Pant is still there, if they get him soon then it really will be game on.
11th over: India 89-3 (Pant 40, Yadav 7) Pant gets a reverse sweep away off Imad Wasim – the crowd go bananas. Four more singles are cheered almost as gleefully. Pakistan need to make another breakthrough here.
Magnus Blair is tuned in from the US.
“Seems like a lot of us US cricket emigres went to SA / Ned yesterday. Today was the game I wanted tickets to but one look at StubHub scotched that. Still, had a great time, and seriously thinking of throwing a sickie Wednesday for US India, tickets for that are a snip at, erm, $300”
Wow – those prices seem way too steep. ‘Grow the game’ eh!
“Hi James”
Hello Colum Fordham!
"Envy those lucky enough to see the game live as I write from a place with another largish South Asian diaspora - Naples - where there is a large Sri Lankan community. This should be a humdinger of a match and Pakistan have got the advantage of swing under cloud cover.
Shaheen Afridi is bowling magnificently. Kohli and Rohit may have departed but India have an incredible batting line-up. Pakistan will be desperate to win after their lacklustre performance against the USA.
Much enjoying the OBO and lovely to read enthusiastic emails from new cricket fans in the US.”
I’ll second that Colum. Jealous of Naples as I scribe this from a cloudy south London.
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10th over: India 81-3 (Pant 34, Yadav 5) Haris Rauf into the attack. Pant slaps a slower ball over cover for four and then plays his no-look-fall-down-scoop shot for four more! He ends up sat on the turf but it is mightily effective, the ball flying away to the boundary at fine leg. Four more! A clip off the pads from Pant, he’s finding his touch now – ominously for Pakistan.
Ten overs done – time to restore the electrolytes. Mine’s a brew.
9th over: India 68-3 (Pant 21, Yadav 5) Imad Wasim to bowl his darts. Pant miscues but the ball drops short of the sprawling fielder at deep square leg. Well bowled. Wasim gets out of the over for just six runs with both Pant and SKY gunning for him.
Can I suggest Rishabh Pant buys a lottery ticket later?
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) June 9, 2024
He probably doesn’t need to…
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8th over: India 62-3 (Pant 17, Yadav 4) Suryakuamar Yadav is the new batter. Bosh – he drives down the ground for four. Sparkling batting that takes the shine off Naseem’s over a little.
WICKET! Axar Patel b Naseem Shah 20 (India 58-3)
Bowled’ im! Axar aims a giant mow across the line and is comprehensively bowled! Not a great shot but Pakistan and Naseem don’t care a jot.
Updated
7th over: India 57-2 (Pant 16, Patel 20) Iftikhar is summoned for some right arm spin. Axar eases a single to bring Pant on strike. Ayayay – Pant drops to one knee and tries to ramp/scoop from outside off but serves only to very nearly paddle the ball into his own stumps. A leg side wide and a single to Pant follow. Shot! Axar uses his feet to get to the pitch and drives down the ground for four.
I’d wager 150/60 is a decent score on this deck with this outfield. There I said it. And I might delete it later.
6th over: India 50-2 (Pant 15, Patel 15) Amir continues – DROP! An edge flies through Iftikhar’s hands at slip. Tough chance but seen them taken. It went quickly and beat him for pace. ANOTHER DROP! Next ball Pant clubs away in the air and Usman Khan can’t cling on running back from point.
They could be costly misses – you don’t want to give a player as dangerous as Rishabh Pant a life, never mind two. Pant swings emphatically and gets a huge edge over the slips for four. Fifty up for Pakistan. Pant is flying by the seat of his name but the runs are coming for India.
That’s the power play done with. The field can spread a little.
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5th over: India 38-2 (Pant 4, Patel 14) Shaheen is edged away for four by Axar but there is nothing dicey about the next shot. A shorter ball is ramped away beautifully over the slips and over the rope for SIX. A short delay as a punter ambles in front of the sight screen mid over. “It’s not Central Park, mate” purrs Ravi Shastri on comms. Close! An inside edge passes perilously close to the stumps – Pant gets a single from it. Axar cuts away for two as India re-build.
4th over: India 24-2 (Pant 3, Patel 1) Mohammed Amir to replace Naseem. He’ll likely still be licking his wounds still after conceding 18 off his super over against the US on Thursday. Starts with a dot but then goes too full, Pant clipping away for three – the outfield’s sluggishness preventing a four there. Swing and a miss x 3 by Axar Patel! Amir gets the ball to move off the seam and Axar tries to moose each delivery out of the ground but connects only with fresh air. Frustration creeping in. A single off the last ball sees him keep strike.
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3rd over: India 20-2 (Pant 0, Patel 0) Pace from Shaheen. He fizzes one along the tramlines that Axar Patel is happy to let go by. In fact it is called a wide. Two slips in place, two left-handers at the crease. Shaheen looks dangerous and joins the dots. Just a single and the wicket off it. Are we in for another low scoring thriller here?
WICKET! Sharma c Haris Rauf b Shaheen Shah Afridi 13 (India 19-2)
Rohit Sharma is gone now too – both Indian openers back in the hutch. A length ball was clipped in the air once more by Rohit but he doesn’t get the distance – Haris Rauf taking a simple catch on the square boundary. Pakistan are up and at ‘em!
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2nd over: India 19-1 (Rohit 13, Pant 0) Rishabh Pant is the new man and he is beaten first ball by one that nips away sharply off a length from Naseem! The young bowler has got his dander up after pocketing Virat but is perhaps guilty of losing his concentration a little – a wide is sprayed down the leg side and he then strays onto Rohit’s pads with a half volley, he ain’t gonna miss out on those. Whipped away for four. Eleven runs and the wicket off the over. The sun is peeking out too!
WICKET! Kohli c Usman Khan b Naseem Shah 4 (India 12-1)
Virat is out! The great man plays a lovely cover drive first up against Naseem Shah but then slaps a length ball straight to cover point! Scenes!
“Hey James, greetings from Brooklyn!”
Hello to you all – Paul, Hywel, Adelaide and Megan.
“Feeling for the fans today. We went to SA x NL yesterday, and it was brilliant to meet so many first-ever-game US fans who really loved it (at least based on my unscientific analysis of asking people wearing Mets hats). But as you say there is ZERO protection from the rain (or sun, as our first time friend Megan discovered…) Hoping the rain abates. Thanks for the great coverage!”
Paul also sends a photo of some epic wrist watch based sun burn. Poor Megan. Chance would be a fine thing in Nassau Stadium today though by the looks of the gun metal skies.
Saying that – here come the players!
“Could I just request a little help from yourself and you’re OBO colleagues? Can you please please please stop being so positive that there will be play... every time I read the OBO and one of you wonderful people starts talking about ‘when’ the play will begin, it (almost without fail) ends up being a washout. Just hold you’re horses and be a little more vague and I’m sure we’ll end up with some cricket at some point.”
Brendan Large is tuning in from Norway. Vagueness be damned - the match is due to resume in five minutes! Five Brendan, FIVE!
Hello to you David Bertram. Another OBOer in America.
“Morning! Interesting article on the pitch and stadium. I attended the game yesterday and transport is a bit annoying (welcome to NYC, getting to the MetLife is equally as annoying) but the outfield really stuck out. Very very slow and makes it difficult to score. Having said that, it was my friend’s first cricket game and he was hooked once the Dutch got SA 3-3. Despite the lack of scoring the drama was still there…”
Whisper it, but i’ve been enjoying the carnage the pitches have been offering up. Certainly keeps it interesting and is an antidote to the Sixageddon of the recent IPL.
I’m not the one having to bat on it though - OR AM I?
No – I’m not.
“I was at the SA vs Netherlands game yesterday” writes Andrew Cooper, “and the atmosphere was really nice, with many Indian and Pakistani fans among many other nationalities, hope the weather clears up for them today!”
“A pop-up stadium with a pitch that seems to have taken cricketing lessons from a trampoline. Cricket in New York – it’s like seeing a Bollywood musical on Broadway. Thanks to the vibrant South Asian diaspora, we’re witnessing this epic rivalry in the most unexpected of places.” Zain Malik amongst many others hoping this rain does the honourable thing and ****** off.
“Hey, ahm tryna play cricket here!”
A couple of things to note:
There are no floodlights at the Nassau Stadium so light could well become a factor.
The game will start to be reduced in overs in 30 minutes. 12.04pm local time.
Who’s got money on a five over smasheroo that captures America’s heart?
12:04 is the time my ov-ers were cut
Rain Stops Play. India are 8-0 after one over.
It looks clear in the distance so hopefully they aren’t off for long… As I type that it starts to hammer it down. Ah, so frustrating. Can everyone do a sun dance – on three? Ready?
Wet again and every time it’s rained it’s been heavy sadly #IndvPak #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hODG1pwliZ
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) June 9, 2024
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1st over: India 8-0 (Sharma 8, Kohli 0) It’s gloomy and overcast in NYC but fine for now. Shaheen’s first ball is a (New) yorker that Rohit clips effortlessly for two. The crowd reach fever pitch – brilliant atmosphere. A dot ball follows. The outfield looked sluggish judging by the first ball. That’s one way to deal with that – S I X! Sharma picks Shaheen off his pads with panache and deposits the ball into the stands in front of square. What a shot. What a reaction from the crowd who are about 70/30 in India’s favour by rock of the eye and dent of the ear drum.
Shaheen pins Sharma on the pad with a full and swinging delivery, he appeals with arms outstretched but I think Rohit got a thick inside edge on this. Sure enough they don’t review and the replay shows it was slammed into the pad by the bat. Eight off the first over. And here comes the drizzle again…
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Thanks for all your emails, great to hear from so many of you in far flung places. I’ll post more at the break, for now it is down to brass tacks. Rohit and Virat are scratching their guards and Shaheen Shah Afridi is prowling like a green lycra clad jaguar at the top of his mark. The countdown starts and Ravi Shastri SONICBOOMS on commentary. 5,4,3,2,1… Let’s PLAY!
Righto, the rain has relented and out come the players for the anthems!
“Greetings from Rainy Connecticut” - which could be the name of a Tom Waits song but is actually the title of an email from Ed in the US of A.
“Here in Connecticut this morning, I overheard a conversation between three India fans, one of whom claimed to have tickets to today’s match a hundred and fifty miles south of here but had decided not to go because of the rain. I am skeptical of this person’s honesty, but at least there were Americans talking about the World Cup, right?”
Let’s hope they were fibbing about the weather too!
“New US T20 fan watching from Corvallis, Oregon, where we’re used to rain delays! Perfect weather today though, maybe the next T20 World Cup here…”
Welcome aboard Christopher Hedstrom!
“Good afternoon James.”
Back atcha Krishnamoorthy V.
“India carries a psychological advantage over Pakistan. The poor record in World Cups will weigh heavily on them. In the end it is going to be a contest between who prevails Bumrah or Babar”
If the pitch is a snake pit then it becomes less about star performers and more about which side is able to adapt and cope best as a collective. Im intrigued to see those first few overs when they do make it out there.
The big question – how will the pitch play today?
The good news is it has stopped raining. The bad news – for those in the ground at least - is that there is barely any cover to shelter from the wet stuff when it does rain.
Uh oh 😟 Feeling very much for the fans in the open stands. For those in the UK, think of the Old Trafford party stand, and it’s like that almost everywhere except hospitality #t20USA #IndvPak pic.twitter.com/PszucXwwQe
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) June 9, 2024
Gah. It is spitting again in NYC so the start has been delayed again. If you are out there and looking forward to this epic match up then do drop me a line, the OBO is nowt without its followers and correspondents from far and wide.
You can email me or send a missive on social media @Jimbo_Cricket.
*A wee bit of fruity language on this for a Sunday afternoon.
The start of India vs Pakistan has been delayed due to rain ☔️😬 pic.twitter.com/zOk4Qbxrrl
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 9, 2024
“Afternoon James”
Good afternoon to you Guy Hornsby!
“Ravi Shastri may be out in the middle right now giving it the Michael Buffer, as he will, but it’s not unfair to say that it’d be a shock if Pakistan win this. But it’s not impossible either, and that’s why T20 is always uncertain. What no one wants is a drubbing, except perhaps India and their fans. If Pakistan can get off to a good start, anything is possible. It’s not going to be 200 v 200 here. Bring on the big show!”
Pakistan will get first use of the ball and do have the bowlers to blow any side away on their day. They’ll need to be at their best though, India’s batting card is formidable. I’ve just spotted Virat doing keepy uppies on the outfield and then getting his Fresh Prince of Bel Air on with a white suited Chris Gayle. He’ll be going up against Shaheen Shah Afridi very shortly – loins well and truly girded for that.
Chris Gayle & Virat Kohli playing football 😂👌#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/iUVFWk25hj
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) June 9, 2024
Teams: India are unchanged and Pakistan have made one switch after their shock super over loss to the hosts – Imad Wasim replaces Azam Khan.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Siraj
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir
Lot’s of pressure on Pakistan after their loss against the USA. India have dominated their ICC tournament head to heads thus far.
Can India make it TEN T20I wins against Pakistan? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/D3K9N5pTmS
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 9, 2024
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Pakistan win the toss and bowl!
It’s ‘TOSS TIME!’ Ravi Shastri booms from the middle! Fantastic hype work from the big man out in the middle. Babar Azam calls the coin correctly and sticks Rohit and his men in. Loud cheering, seems a great atmosphere inside the Nassau stadium. Swathes of green and blue and a decent decibel level, not least from Mr Shastri.
An India fan in front of our window with hands on his head as Babar won the toss. Pakistan fans jumping up and down with glee #IndvPak #t20USA #T20WorldCup Azam Khan is left out for Imad Wasim.
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) June 9, 2024
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GOOD NEWS: It has stopped raining. We’ll have the toss in a few minutes and are going to start at 11am – 4pm here in blighty.
So many intriguing aspects to this match. First of all the location – the ICC clearly want to bowl over the American’s and cement cricket in the states – a largely untapped market but an increasingly interested one since the Major League Cricket tournament was established a couple of years ago. They’ve just pulled off the big coup of snaring Pat Cummins’ presence for the next four years, the Australian men’s Test captain has signed a deal with the San Francisco Unicorns up until 2027.
And yet, the stadium that Cricket’s top brass have spent millions constructing in Long Island’s Eisenhower Park isn’t there to stay as a lasting and usable memento, it’s being taken down in a few weeks’ time. Grumbling about that aside – some won’t be sad to see it go, at least not the teams who have had to bat on the drop in wicket. The pitches used have been unpredictable and seem to have more spice than a scotch bonnet heavy jambalaya. Low scores and bruised batters have been the story of the surfaces so far, with the ICC announcing they are ‘looking into’ the issue.
Oh. OK. It is currently raining at Nassau Stadium. The toss is confirmed to be delayed. I think it’s a steady drizzle and isn’t too bad. In fact there’s an umpire inspection in a few minutes.
Not what you want to see.. pic.twitter.com/Fnh5ID6lQG
— PRAKASH WAKANKAR (@pakwakankar) June 9, 2024
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Big One. Sunday in the Big Apple. NYC. The City that never sleeps. New Yoik, New Yoik. It’s India v Pakistan – the fieriest rivalry in the game – in one of the greatest cities on earth (ok ok, about 1.5 hours down the road from Manhattan but you know, it is famously quite cramped there).
Our man on the ground, Andy Bull, has written this fantastic scene setter.
Most locals do not even know the match is happening, but the few who do are not talking about much else. It seems just about everyone who is anyone in the Pakistani- and Indian-American communities is going to be there and everyone else wants to know how they can join them.
Pretty much everyone I see asks me for a ticket,” said the USA Cricket chairman, Venu Pisike. The USA’s opening bowler Ali Khan, meanwhile, sighed: “Oh, man, don’t even go there. I’ve had to stop replying to the requests. I don’t even mess with the tickets for that match, it’s crazy.”
Never mind the actual match, you cannot get into the viewing party being hosted by the New York Mets at Citi Field. They’re expecting 27,000 along to watch the game on the big screen, while another 5,000 or so are due at a similar event a few miles from Eisenhower Park in Cedar Creek Park. That is before you start adding on all the people following the game in restaurants, bars and corner stores around the city.
The little town of Westbury has no idea what’s about to hit it. “We don’t know what to expect,” said the county executive, Bruce Blakeman, “but we’re told it’s going to be like the Super Bowl on steroids.”
A hundred extra police patrols have been laid on in the district and 300 local officers will be on duty at the ground, plus an undisclosed number of reinforcements from Suffolk County, the state police and FBI. They have got snipers on the nearby rooftops, SWAT teams on every gate, flatbed trucks blocking every route into the venue and a team of 50 officers monitoring “every inch of the venue” on cameras from a remote location.”
Play will begin in a little over 30 minutes, I’ll bring you news of the teams and toss any second. This should be quite the spectacle. Yeh – I’m talkin’ to you.
