LIVE: Kohli, Pandya sniff victory as India, Pakistan locked in MCG epic

Welcome to live streaming of T20 World Cup Super 12 match between India vs Pakistan at MCG.

Pakistan was at the beginning of everything. But after a stunning comeback, they are now on top after removing both Indian openers, leaving Virat Kohli to try and guide them home.

But while Kohli is in the middle, there is hope for India.

The star batsman has started to find his groove and find a partner to bat with him in Hardik Pandya.

In a match full of twists and turns, the match lives up to the billing with Pakistan posting 9-159 to set up a big chase for their Asian rivals in front of a packed MCG.

India lost KL Rahul (4) and skipper Rohit Sharma (4) in the opening four overs in the run chase, with quicks Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf breaking through.

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Next up was the in-form Suryakumar Yadav, trailing by 15 before Kohli ran out Axar Patel for two in a terrible mix-up to leave India at 4-31.

Both men departed before Kohli sent Patel back. The all-rounder almost got home after Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan failed to catch the ball, but the third umpire ruled that the ball had cleared the bails at the same time – or earlier – as the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

Sharma won the toss and sent Pakistan into bat, India struck early and dealt a double blow by taking the crucial wickets of Azam and Rizwan.

Shan Masood (52 not out) and Ahmed (51) put on 76 for the third wicket before Mohammed Shami got the ball and trapped the right-hander in front.

The wicket led to a small collapse, with India 3-7, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya took three quick wickets to see Pakistan slump to 5-98.

It could have been worse, Ravi Ashwin managed to bowl Masood at fine leg.

Spinner Ashwin, who often finds himself in a controversial situation, claimed a catch at the boundary, but the replays showed that the ball hit the ground after Shan stood on the ground.

Later, in the 15th over, Masood had a bit more luck when he skied a ball to Ashwin but it hit the camera and fell safely.

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After winning the toss to send Pakistan through, star wicket-taker Rizwan was soon hit on the thumb by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and required medical attention.

The moment set the tone for India’s early onslaught, with their tireless pacemen doing plenty at the wicket.

Singh backed it up by catching star batsman Azam in the first ball of the second over, with the Pakistan skipper forced to go for a golden duck to leave them 1-1.

Pakistan should have been 2-1 but Virat Kohli failed to hit the stumps from meters after Masood’s hit and run to mid-off in an attempt to get off the mark.

Rizwan’s (4) 12-ball horror show ended when the right-hander was caught at fine leg when he failed to get to a short ball from Singh. His dismissal left Pakistan 2-15 after four overs.

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Pakistan managed to stay in the contest and eventually the runs started to flow.

The crucial over came in the 12th over as Ahmed, listening to batting coach Hayden during a drinks break, clearly told the Pakistani duo to pick their bowlers and attack. And they struck as Ahmed crushed Patel for 21 and hit three huge sixes off the left-arm spinner.

Some late knocks from Shaheen Shah Afridi (16 off 8) and Haris Rauf (6 off 4) saw Pakistan post a competitive total.

Singh was the pick of the bowlers taking 3-32 while Kumar (1-22) and Shami (1-25) were also outstanding with the new ball. Pandya’s medium pace was also effective, 3-30 over the middle overs.

Spinners Ashwin (0-23) and Patel (0-21) combined for just four overs.

When the two nations met last year, Pakistan shocked India in the most dramatic fashion as Rizwan (79 not out) and Azam (68 off 52) guided their nation to a massive 10-wicket win after being bowled out for 7-151 in just 17.5 overs . .

But it was Afridi who set up the win, taking 3-31 and dismissing both of India’s openers from his opening seven balls before removing Kohli late on.

Pakistan progressed to the semi-finals before some Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis saw them eliminated by Australia, while India failed to reach the knockout stage.

Both nations are seen as strong contenders to qualify for the World Cup, while India enter the tournament as Ricky Ponting’s pick to make it to the finals.

Ponting has nominated Suryakumar Yadav as his star player for the World Cup, with the veteran batsman now a mainstay in India’s shortstop.

India lead the World Cup 12-1 against Pakistan and India great Sunil Gavaskar believes it is up to his nation to be able to “absorb the pressure a lot better”.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf

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