India had defeated Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring thriller in New York.
Recently, India’s ODI skipper Rohit Sharma opened up on the electrifying atmosphere surrounding the high-voltage matches between two teams.
Recalling the T20 World Cup 2024 encounter in New York, Rohit said the pre-match environment was like a festival, starting from their hotel and extending to the stadium.
India won the low-scoring thriller by six runs as Jasprit Bumrah returned with the figures of 3-14 to earn the Player-of-the-Match award.
"Before the India vs Pakistan match, we were told there was a threat - something was going on. So, two days before the game, we weren’t allowed to step out of the hotel. The atmosphere started building from there. We were ordering food in, and the hotel was so packed you could barely walk. Fans, media - everyone was there. That’s when you realise this isn’t just another match - something special is about to happen.
"As soon as we got near the stadium, it already felt like a celebration - Indian fans, Pakistani fans, all dancing and enjoying themselves. I’ve played so many India–Pakistan games now - I’ve lost count - but that pre-match energy, that feeling… It’s always something else. Nothing compares to it," Rohit said on JioHotstar’s special 'Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se'.
In that game, India lost Virat Kohli (4), Rohit (13) and Axar Patel (20) early but Rishabh Pant played a decisive knock of 42 off 31 balls to propel the side to a respectable total of 119 as no other batter in the middle order was able to reach double figures.
Hailing Pant's efforts, Rohit said the wicketkeeper-batter played up to his potential and kept them in the contest on a challenging surface.
“We just wanted Rishabh to be Rishabh - do all the things he does best, unsettle the bowlers, play freely. And he did that perfectly. His innings was around 42, and on that pitch, that’s as good as scoring 70. It was a very challenging surface - something was always happening.
"The par score there was probably 130 or 140. We ended up with 119. Our plan wasn’t to go for 200 - we were aiming for 140. But of course, we lost wickets along the way. And that’s when Rishabh played that crucial knock of 40-plus, which really held things together. Eventually, we got 119 - and I actually felt it could still be a good score. Maybe 10–15 runs short, but I knew that if we got 2–3 early wickets with the new ball, that 119 would start to feel like 160," Rohit said.
Rohit Sharma was also effusive in praise of Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh for successfully defending the modest total.
“With Bumrah, you’ve got to be proactive in how you use him. He’s a wicket-taker, and at the same time, he’s not going to leak runs. So, how do you balance that, especially when the opposition is chasing at a run-a-ball? Arshdeep has been phenomenal too. Over the last two years, there’s a reason he’s become India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is — he’s a really smart bowler.
"So, with both of them, my focus was on how to use their remaining overs strategically. You think about which batters are coming in, how would they handle Arshdeep and Bumrah? On that pitch, it was tough for new batters to settle, so our goal was to force new guys to the crease. That was the plan," he concluded.