At the T20 World Cup on October 23 in front of a sizable Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd, India defeated Pakistan by four wickets with one ball remaining thanks to Virat Kohli’s commanding half-century and Ravichandran Ashwin’s composure in the dying stages.
Mohammad Nawaz, an all-around player for Pakistan, gave India two wides and a no-ball in his final over before Ashwin calmly smashed the winning runs over mid-off as India chased down 160 to win.
Ashwin’s foresight was on display when he anticipated that Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Nawaz would target for his pads, stayed still, and left the ball to gather a wide under intense pressure.
“I decided not to play the ball as soon as I noticed it was heading down the leg side and to let it alone. As a result, I managed to get one run for the wide. I was completely at ease as soon as I got that run,” Ashwin remarked on his YouTube account.
“As I stepped up to the plate, I briefly cursed Dinesh Karthik before realizing that we still had time to accomplish our goals. To get to the pitch, it seemed like I was walking for an eternity,” Ashwin remarked.
When 2 runs were needed off of 2 balls, India’s designated finisher, Karthik, attempted an extremely atypical slog sweep but lost his balance and was stumped.
DK is seen praising Ashwin for saving his life in a video that the BCCI posted following the game.
“Then Virat Kohli appeared, and he told me a lot of stuff. But the moment I saw him, I had just one thought. God has blessed you greatly today. So how can he possibly disappoint me? So won’t you stop me from getting these runs at least for you? I told myself to see the ball, then put it in a free spot, and just go,” Ashwin continued.
That’s just what he did, too. Ashwin simply lifted the ball over the fielder’s head to give India the victory after Nawaz had mid-off up in the ring.
“It will be fantastic if I can lift the ball and put it somewhere. I believed that God had sent this man to knock Haris Rauf over the top of him for a six on the back foot and another for a flick. Will God permit me to throw my chip over the infield into a free space? Thank God, it worked. What an occasion” Ashwin exclaimed.
“I was overjoyed as soon as I got that run. No one will now pelt my house with stones.”
News Mania Desk
