The MCG exploded in blue. The Aftermath: Kohli’s Redemption Arc Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 off 53 balls —an innings that had no cover drives for two hours, but six sixes and four fours when it mattered most. It was his first T20I fifty in over three years, and it came in the biggest possible game.
Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the most prolific T20I pair in the world, started cautiously against the pace of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh. But once settled, they accelerated. Rizwan was the aggressor, flicking, cutting, and scooping with precision. Babar played second fiddle, holding the innings together. india vs pakistan t20 world cup 2022 full match
The total seemed below par on a flat MCG wicket, but the pressure of chasing against Pakistan’s lethal pace attack—Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf—made it feel like 200. India’s chase would be anything but straightforward. India’s reply began in disaster. In the very first over, Shaheen Afridi —the same man who had wrecked India’s top order in 2021—dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma for a four-ball duck. The MCG erupted in green. The MCG exploded in blue
In the end, the scoreboard read (20 overs) vs. Pakistan 159/8 (20 overs). But numbers will never capture the sheer, unrelenting drama of October 23, 2022. Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the most
KL Rahul, under immense pressure, fought hard but fell to Haris Rauf for 14 off 16 balls. Then came the moment that sent shockwaves through the Indian dressing room: , the world’s No. 1 T20 batter, was run out for 15 due to a mix-up with Kohli. India was reeling at 31/3 .
India, captained by Rohit Sharma, had its own scars—a 10-wicket drubbing at the hands of Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup was fresh in memory. This was the rematch. And the MCG, the spiritual home of Australian cricket, was packed to the rafters. Rohit Sharma won the toss and, in a decision that surprised many, opted to bowl first on a pitch that traditionally favored batting under lights. The move backfired initially.
When Rizwan fell for a well-made 43 off 42 balls, Shan Masood took over. The left-hander played a breathtaking cameo, smashing 38 off 28 balls, including two massive sixes off Arshdeep. Pakistan posted a formidable in their 20 overs.