Asia Cup hero Nawaz turns villain for Pakistan at MCG

It's often said the game of cricket is a great leveller. Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz learnt it the hard way as India chased down 160 to beat the arch-rivals in their Twenty20 World Cup opener in Melbourne on Sunday. 

Nawaz was the man of the match the last time the two sides met. He picked up 1/25 from his four overs and then smashed 42 off 20 balls as Pakistan chased down 182 in the final over in the Asia Cup Super 4 tie in Dubai.

However, he had a game to forget at the MCG as he ended up with 2/42 off his four overs. In fact he went for 36 off his last two overs.

The Men in Blue needed 16 runs off the final over from Nawaz, with Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya at the crease.

Here is how the drama unfolded in the final over.

19.1 Pandya falls

Pandya (40) had struggled against spin and Pakistan drew first blood when the all-rounder attempted to smash the ball on the leg side, only to edge the delivery to the covers where captain Babar Azam pouched the catch.

19.2 DK brings Kohli back on strike

New batsman Dinesh Karthik went on the front foot as soon as he got in and made contact with a full toss to take a single and hand the in-form Kohli the strike.

19.3 Kohli picks up a brace

Kohli directs a yorker to long on and takes two to keep the strike. Three balls, 13 required.

19.4 Momentum swings in India's favour

Nawaz's high full toss is smashed by Kohli over deep square leg, where the fielder on the ropes gets a hand to it but fails to keep the ball in play and it goes for six.

The umpire Rod Tucker also calls a no-ball for height and his counterpart Marais Erasmus walks over from square leg to placate the Pakistani skipper, who was fuming over the call.

19.4 Nawaz feels the heat

The bowler cannot keep his cool and he bowls a wide yorker - far too wide and the umpire signals a wide.

19.4 Bowled and three byes!

Kohli is castled as the ball strikes the off stump but he's already running to the non-striker's end as it is still a free hit. With the ball heading to third man, 37-year-old Karthik runs well between the wickets as they take three.

19.5 DK departs

Karthik tries to make room for a shot but the ball hits his pad. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan is quick to react seeing his opposite number outside his crease, whipping the bails off to complete the stumping and handing Pakistan the advantage.

19.6 Costly wide

Kohli is stranded at the non-striker's end and the fate of the run chase is in Ravichandran Ashwin's hands - until the pressure gets to Nawaz again and he bowls a wide down the leg side that Ashwin gleefully leaves.

19.6 Ashwin hits the winning shot

As Pakistan's fielders close in to stop the single and force a Super Over, Ashwin scoops the ball over the inner circle and runs to the other end with his arms raised as the Indian fans among the 90,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground erupt in joy.

India win by four wickets and Kohli is adjudged the player of the match for his unbeaten knock of 82 under pressure, smashing six fours and four sixes.

(With inputs from Reuters)