India vs Pakistan, 16th Match, Group 2 at Dubai, T20 World Cup, Oct 24 2021 - Match Result

9.47pm And that brings us to the close of our coverage tonight! What quality Pakistan served up today. You can tell this win means a whole deal more given the bilateral series that they lost in the lead-up. There was a statement to be made, and they did it; all while looking like it might not even have been on their minds. Big night for them and they thoroughly outclassed an insipid India who have plenty to ponder. We hope you enjoyed being here and we'll see you soon. On behalf of Karthik and Raghav, this is Varun saying good night.

Babar Azam: 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. 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. The pressure on us wasn't that much - we 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.

Virat Kohli: We did not execute the things that we wanted to but credit is certainly due - they outplayed us today. When you lose three early 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. [Team] we're certainly not a team that presses the panic button, it's the start of the tournament, not the end.

Shaheen Afridi: This is the first time we've beaten India and I feel proud. I knew it would be good for us if I got early wickets and that worked out. My idea was to get as much swing as possible. You don't get a lot here, but I wanted to get those breakthroughs and gave it 100%. In my opinion the new ball was a difficult to play, so credit goes to Babar and Rizwan. All the teams are difficult at the World Cup, we'll try to take this momentum forward and make the final.

Shaheen Afridi is the Player of the Match.

Kishore Kumar C: "If people simply throw everything on dew then we should simply give them the match after loosing the toss. It's funny, people not talking about our bowlers inability. "

UmarFM: "Started watching cricket in the 2011 WC. Waited 10 long years for Pakistan to win. What a fine fine moment, no words to explain!"

Pavan: "Watch out for the composed Babar. A great batsman made but a greater captain in the making. He shouts at the team not to over-do the celebration. He moves away after one selfie!! I have only admiration for him"

Samip Dahal: "This win from Pakistan is not just an eye opener for India. It is their statement to rest of the teams as well about what is about to come."

Kathia: "Fireworks and Celebratory Firings going on in Lahore. Typica Punjabi style to celebrate things. Well done guys. Defeated India First time in Worldcups, Defeated someone for first time with 10 wickets and many more records formed Today"

Asif Khan: "Don't you stay inside if you are in Karachi.. The streets are absolutely lit with celebrations right now!!"

Siddhesh: "As an Indian fan it is not the loss that rankles but the manner in which it happened where India as a bowling unit just seemed bereft of ideas and seemed to lack (if I may use the dreaded word) intent. Sure the wicket was a lot easier to bat on in the 2nd half but Pakistan made it seem like a batting paradise. "

Yaqoob: "The boys didn't just stun India. They stunned everyone back home too. You should hear the roaring and fireworks in Islamabad right now!"

9.29pm Like everything else, it had to end. India had never lost a World Cup game, 50-overs or T20, to Pakistan, and even the individual results had gotten painfully one-sided in recent years. But now Pakistan have broken that duck, and they've done it brilliantly. This isn't just a win over an arch-rival in a big tournament, it's also a win that signals that they're contenders for the title. It helped them that they won the toss and chased, but to do it in the manner they have has been quite something. While I go catch my breath, here's Varun to bring you the presentation. Good night!

We have word from BCCI: "Hardik Pandya was hit on his right shoulder while batting. He has now gone for scans."

Clearly a ball that owed a lot to dew. It's not been easy for India's bowlers to try and defend this.

Pakistan need 17 off 18 now. Can someone bowl a 2-run over and inject some tension into this chase? Shami comes back on.

VS: "The way Kohli has utilized Bumrah is horrible. With a below par total, the only chance you have is to squeeze them in the powerplay and get into their brains. One you let them exit powerplay with a decent run rate and all wickets in hand, chasing a modest total, they can play with a calm head through the middle overs." -- You can understand why Kohli went the way he did, though. Try and keep the runs down, and then have Bumrah squeeze them in the second half of the chase. Didn't come off, but it's a valid strategy.

Harish: "Indians will be thinking: It had to end one day "

Bhuvneshwar back in the attack. Fine leg and short third in the circle.

DBSS : "On a positive note, India have 1 week to omit this match from their memories and start afresh. Just not their day. Have to appreciate the exceptional cricket played by Pakistan today. "

Ashish: "@KK - nothing wicket taking in India's arsenal, seriously? I will attribute it to dew and good batting equally. The dew made its presence in the powerplay itself. And the pak batters made good use of it. I will still give credit to Pakistan. Shaheen bowled well but then fact is the ball was dry and there was a bit of swing and he placed it in good areas. His last over was a contradiction to his first three. So two sides of the coin."

With that, Pakistan need less than a run a ball.

Here's Shami.

Shafiq: "Is there any dew effect or is it some brilliant batting by these two?" -- A bit of both, mostly the latter. Plus there hasn't been a Shaheen among India's bowlers today. Nothing obviously wicket-taking in their arsenal.

hadi: "what anticlimax. We all thought this would be a thriller. But this is turning out to be a 10 wicker drubbing. WOuld'nt have imagined in wildest dreams against tournaments favourites!"