Axar Patel clean bowled Babar Azam: This over from Axar Patel set the tone for the match. While Usman Khan tried to accelerate the run rate, Axar Patel took the crucial wicket to put Pakistan on the back foot.

Akshar Patel proved to be too strong for Babar Azam.

New Delhi. When the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams face each other, the pressure is felt not only on the players but also in the air on the field. But today proved to be nothing less than a nightmare for the Pakistani batsmen. The fall of captain Babar Azam, in particular, was a bolt from the blue for Pakistan's hopes. In the fifth over of the innings, the ball was in the hands of spin wizard Axar Patel. Pakistan's situation was already dire, but Usman Khan, at the crease, was determined to counter-attack. Usman played brilliantly on the second and third balls of the over. Axar kept the ball a little slow in the air, taking advantage of which, Usman played an inside-out shot and sent the ball over cover point for a boundary. The next ball was even faster, but Usman once again showed his cleverness and hit back-to-back fours over the covers. These two fours brought life to the Pakistani fans present in the stands and it seemed that perhaps the course of the match would change from here.

But the real drama was yet to come. Babar Azam, one of the world's best batsmen, was on strike on the fifth ball. Axar Patel is known for his clever bowling. He was determined to avenge the fours conceded by Usman. Axar used his flatter trajectory. The ball was fast and straight on the line of the stumps, leaving the batsman with no room to create space. Under pressure, Babar Azam attempted a shot that was completely contrary to his natural style. He tried to play a cross-bat slog, but Axar's pace completely deceived him. The ball pierced the gap between bat and pad and hit the middle stump.

Akshar Patel proved to be too strong for Babar Azam.

When Babar Azam's stumps were uprooted, the entire stadium reverberated with the cheers of Indian supporters. Axar Patel celebrated this success by waving his hands in the air. This shot was also sharply criticized in the commentary box. This was a clear evidence of the mental instability prevailing in the Pakistani dressing room. Babar Azam returned to the pavilion after scoring 7 runs off just 5 balls. For Pakistan, this was not just a wicket, but a severe backbone break. Babar's dismissal after Salman Agha, playing such an irresponsible shot, shows that Team India's bowlers have gained a psychological advantage over them.

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Opener Ishan Kishan's whirlwind half-century helped India post 175 for seven against Pakistan in a Group A match. Ishan, on a spin-friendly pitch, scored 77 off 40 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes, and added 87 for the second wicket with Tilak Varma (25) to provide India with a solid foundation. Captain Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) also played useful innings. Both teams relied on their spinners on the slow pitch. Pakistan fielded Shaheen Shah Afridi as their lone fast bowler, while India included Jasprit Bumrah, fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube in the playing XI, but opted for Kuldeep Yadav by dropping Arshdeep Singh. Pakistan bowled 18 overs with spinners, with Saim Ayub being the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 25 runs. Shaheen gave away 31 runs in two overs and got one wicket.