Dubai: Indian captain Virat Kohli minced no words on Sunday after his team’s shocking loss against arch-rivals Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 match at the Dubai International Stadium. Kohli admitted that his team was “outplayed” in all departments by Pakistan in a high-octane thriller. With their backs against the wall, Kohli stated that there’s no “need to press the panic button” and his players will come back strongly in the upcoming games of the T20 World Cup 2021. Pakistan produced a clinical effort to crush India by 10 wickets for their first win in a World Cup match in 13 attempts.Also Read - AFG vs SCO Dream11 Team Prediction, Fantasy Hints ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Captain, Vice-Captain- Afghanistan vs Scotland; Probale Playing 11s, Team News For Today's T20 Match 17 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium at 7:30 PM IST October 25 Monday
Chasing 152 for victory after putting India in, Pakistan completed the task in 17.5 overs, leaving the Indian team and its millions of fans stunned. “We did not execute the things that we wanted to but credit is certainly due – they (Pakistan) outplayed us today,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony. Also Read - Babar Azam's Father Breaks Into Tears After Pakistan Beat India in T20 World Cup 2021 Match in Dubai | VIDEO Goes Viral
India found themselves on the back-foot straightaway as they lost three wickets with just 31 runs on the board, thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s menacing opening burst. Also Read - IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2021 Match Report: Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam Star as Pakistan Live Up To Unpredictable Tag, Crush India by 10 Wickets in Super 12 Battle
“When you lose three early wickets it’s very difficult to come back, especially when you know the dew is coming. They were very professional with the bat as well.
“Hitting through the line was not as easy in the first half as it seemed in the Pakistan innings, so when you know the conditions can change, you need 10-20 extra runs.
“But some quality bowling from Pakistan didn’t let us get off the blocks. We’re certainly not a team that presses the panic button, it’s the start of the tournament, not the end,” Kohli said.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam stroked his way to unbeaten 68 while Mohammad Rizwan smashed 79 not out as Pakistan won it without much trouble.
Babar said his team executed the plans to perfection, evidence of which was manner in which they dominated and won the game.
“We executed our plans well and the early wickets were very helpful. Shaheen’s wickets gave us a lot of confidence and the spinners dominated as well. The plan with Rizwan is always to keep it simple,” Babar said.
“We tried to get deep in the crease and from about the 8th over the dew came in and the ball came on nicely. This is just the start, we have confidence to build on now. It will remain match by match for us.”
He said the pressure on his team wasn’t that much and they weren’t thinking of the record against India at all.
“I only wanted to back all our players who’ve been preparing well. When you play tournaments before a big World Cup, it helps and our players came in with a lot of confidence because of that.”
(With PTI Inputs)