Fortunately for both players and fans, the game remained a 20-over contest despite rain forcing a delayed start and holding up play after the first over. India though would consider themselves even more fortunate as they prevailed over Pakistan by six runs even after folding for just 119.

That too, with the Nassau County International Stadium pitch in New York not having too many of the demons that were noticed in the previous games of this T20 World Cup at the venue.

Pakistan had only 47 to win off the last 46 balls with seven wickets in hand even after Fakhar Zaman played a loose shot off a short delivery from Hardik Pandya. But there was a complete turnaround in the script when Mohammad Rizwan’s atrocious shot off Jasprit Bumrah, who had picked up Babar Azam in his first spell, resulted in panic creeping into the Pakistan dressing room.

Promoting Imad Wasim up the order at No.5 ahead of Iftikhar Ahmed proved they had also got their batting order wrong. If that wasn't enough, Shadab Khan handled yet another short ball from Pandya like a novice to gift his wicket away. The experienced Iftikhar, thereafter, made a mess of two full tosses from Bumrah in the penultimate over, one of which cost him his wicket.

There was no way Pakistan could win the game from thereon as they eventually ended at 113/7.

That said, the win doesn’t brush inside the carpet India losing their last seven wickets for only 31 after being decently placed at 89/3 in 11.1 overs. Pakistan’s quicks were certainly more disciplined than they were against the US, but more than their bowling, it’s poor shot selection and application from Indian batters which made the rival bowling attack’s job easier.

In overcast conditions, Pakistan did the correct thing to bowl first after winning the toss. Skipper Rohit Sharma’s awesome pick-up shot in the very first over off Shaheen Shah Afridi meant the India captain was out to make a statement. His opening partner Virat Kohli, too, began with a four off Naseem Shah following the resumption.

But, in that same over, Naseem (3/21) took the pace off the ball slightly, which seemed to hold on to the surface a little bit. Kohli’s stroke had little elevation and he perished at cover point.

That was the shot in the arm Pakistan needed, while their smiles grew wider when Rohit too couldn’t clear the deep square-leg region and headed back off Shaheen.

Then came the weird decision from the Indian team management to send Axar Patel in at No.4, with Rishabh Pant at the other end. With India having quite a deep batting line-up, that move defied logic.

Axar did play a few strokes, but couldn’t contribute more than 20 off 18 balls. Pant (42 off 31 balls), too, barring the opening over from Haris Rauf where he hit the latter for three boundaries, wasn't quite like Pant, but those runs that he got did matter in the end.