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Pakistan overcame Canada by seven wickets in New York, their first victory of the T20 World Cup, thanks to a solid all-around performance. Finally, there was something to be joyful about for Pakistan.
After winning a key toss once more, Babar didn’t hesitate to field first. “First-over Shaheen Afridi” was the one he would have hoped would work his magic. However, Aaron Johnson, the first over, was the one lighting the stage on fire. He hit a shin-high full toss for four with the opening ball of the innings, then smashed Afridi straight down the ground for another four on the following ball.
Johnson then gave Naseem Shah a backward point, giving Pakistan the impression that they were losing steam.
The only person who got his length exactly right from the start was Muhammad Amir, and he was properly rewarded. The first ball saw Navneet Dhaliwal hit him for a four through point, but Amir retaliated with a fiery in-dipper that crushed Dhaliwal’s middle stump.
Both Afridi and Naseem quickly discovered their lengths. Johnson kept making his shots, but there were a lot of plays that he missed. After six overs, Afridi switched up his bowling end and had Pargat Singh edge to first slip, bringing Canada to 30 for 2.
The most significant moment in the Canada innings occurred in the seventh over when their best batsman thus far in the competition, Nicholas Kirton, went out of the game following a direct throw from the covers by Imad Wasim.
After removing Shreyas Movva to secure his 100th T20I wicket, Haris Rauf struck twice in three deliveries. He then had Ravinderpal Singh caught at slip; Canada, having made a strong start, had collapsed to 55 for 5 after ten overs.
In only two overs, Johnson sent Wasim twice over the boundary, with his sixth T20I fifty coming off just 39 balls on the second shot. Naseem rocked his stumps when he fell for 52, but he was unable to continue.
After then, Canada’s innings was unable to gather any pace as Pakistan only let up 29 runs in their final five overs, including two fours and a six. At the men’s T20 World Cup, Canada faced 76 dot balls in total, which was the most in an innings.
Pakistan responded, fumbling the powerplay.
Instead of Iftikhar Ahmed, they had brought in Saim Ayub, who left to go open with Mohammad Rizwan, severing the Rizwan-Babar Azam connection at the top. Nevertheless, Ayub failed to capitalise on the option, falling for six off twelve balls.
However, Babar and Rizwan used their combined experience to contribute 63 runs off of 62 balls for the second wicket. With the victory clearly in sight, Babar fell, but Rizwan did not give up, scoring an undefeated fifty-three runs in a ball to give Pakistan the victory with fifteen balls remaining.