On a day when Pakistan needed momentum, they found themselves trapped in a web of dot balls, struggling to break free from the relentless pressure of India's disciplined bowling attack.
In the first 26 overs, Pakistan played an astonishing 100 dot balls, a testament to the bowling precision and fielding brilliance of their opponents.
From the very start, India's bowlers set the tone, denying Pakistan’s batters easy scoring opportunities. Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana kept the batters guessing with their variations, while the pacers maintained tight lines. Mohammad Rizwan, usually a fluent scorer, found himself tied down as dot balls piled up, with his attempted strokes often finding the fielders instead of the gaps.
Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan tried to rotate the strike, but the Indian bowlers kept drying up singles.
Every over seemed like a repeat of the last—solid defense, cautious nudges, and the growing frustration of the batters. By the halfway mark of the innings, the scoreboard reflected Pakistan’s struggle, with their run rate barely moving past a trickle.
As the innings progressed, the pressure mounted. The lack of boundaries and the overwhelming number of dots forced the batters into risky shots, leading to errors. India, sensing their advantage, tightened the screws further, making sure Pakistan remained shackled.
The story of the first 26 overs wasn’t about big wickets or dramatic collapses—it was about an invisible battle, one where Pakistan’s batters were suffocated under the sheer weight of 100 dot balls. It was a slow-burning crisis, one that could define the fate of the match unless Pakistan found a way to break the chains and accelerate.
