Axar Patel delivered a crucial breakthrough for India in the 34th over against Pakistan by taking out captain Mohammad Rizwan, just when his partnership with Saud Shakeel was starting to look dangerous for the Indian side. Rizwan had a close call in the previous over when Harshit Rana dropped a catch off Hardik Pandya, but it didn’t lead to any major consequences.

Trying to take on Axar, Rizwan charged down the pitch in an ambitious effort to hit a big shot, but he was completely caught off guard by a well-placed yorker. He swung wildly but missed, and the stumps went flying.

Axar celebrated with both arms raised, clearly aware of how significant that wicket was. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised both Axar and captain Rohit Sharma for their strategic planning, pointing out that the absence of a deep fielder encouraged Rizwan to go for the big hit.

“It was largely the field placement that led to that shot. With no one in the deep, Rizwan felt he could go for it, but he ended up playing across the line, and the ball hit the middle stump. Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel deserve credit for the field setup that prompted that shot. A big partnership has been broken,” Gavaskar noted.

Rizwan came to the crease after Imam-ul-Haq was run out in the tenth over and started off slowly. By the end of the 25th over, Pakistan was at 99/2, with both Rizwan and Shakeel taking their time. However, as the innings progressed, Rizwan decided to accelerate and went for a risky shot on the very first ball of Axar’s over, leading to his dismissal.

Pakistan decided to take the bat first

Rizwan decided to bat first after winning the toss in Dubai, and Babar Azam, the team's standout batter, got off to a strong start. After facing some flak for his slow performance against New Zealand, Babar came out with purpose, hitting five boundaries to score 23 before Hardik Pandya sent him packing.

Imam followed him back to the pavilion shortly after, thanks to a direct hit from Axar that led to his run out.

Pakistan is in a must-win situation against India after losing to New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener. On the other hand, India kicked off their tournament with a solid six-wicket win over Bangladesh earlier this week.

Read Also: MS Dhoni and Sunny Deol Unite to Watch India's Dominant Performance Against Pakistan in Champions Trophy

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!