T20 World Cup 2022: Hits and flops as India register emphatic win in their opening game against Pakistan 

Courtesy of a masterly knock by Virat Kohli, Team India managed to pull off a historic last-ball win against Pakistan in their opening T20 World Cup clash in Melbourne on Sunday (October 23).

Despite its ebbs and flows throughout, the high-octance encounter between the two arch-rivals was truly one of the best cricket games of recent times.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, India restricted Pakistan to 159-8 as Shan Masood (52* off 42) and Iftikhar Ahmed (51 off 34) scored in the fifties. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya were the two picks of the bowlers for India, picking up three wickets apiece.

In reply, a top-order collapse threatened to derail the Men in Blue once more before Kohli (82* off 53) and Hardik Pandya (40 off 37) steadied the ship. Kohli scored his first 50 runs in 43 balls before unleashing his beast mode to script a remarkable chase for India.

To complete the review of the high-voltage game, let's take a look at the hits and flops from Match 16 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.

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#4 Flop - Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam didn't have a night to remember. Being the talisman he is for his side, he was expected to shoulder the responsibility of building their innings. However, Babar endured an upsetting golden duck in the crunch game.

On the very first ball of the second over, Arshdeep Singh bowled a full-length delivery, which swung back into Babar. The Pakistani opener, who tried to work it towards the on-side, got across the line and missed the ball altogether.

Babar now has as many as five ducks to his name in the T20 internationals - the most by any Pakistani skipper.

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#3 Hit - Arshdeep Singh (India)

Arshdeep Singh got off to a brilliant start

What a dream World Cup debut Arshdeep Singh had! The left-arm pacer jolted Pakistan right from the onset and played a pivotal part in restricting them in the first innings.

A good first over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, where he consistently got late movement, set the tone beautifully for Arshdeep to take over and inflict some telling damage.

The Punjab bowler, who used great bowling conditions to his advantage, got rid of Babar on the very first delivery.

Mohammed Rizwan, who is currently the best-ranked T20I batter, played and missed before being dismissed when Arshdeep very deftly slipped in a well-disguised short ball. Pakistan were reduced to 15/2 in just four overs and Arshdeep was suddenly a hero.

Rizwan wasn't Arshdeep's only wicket from a bouncer as the left-armer came back in his third over to dismiss Asif Ali. The short delivery took Asif by complete surprise.

In his first T20 World Cup game for India, Arshdeep ended the innings with great figures of 3/32.

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#2 Flop - KL Rahul (India)

India v Pakistan - ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Given the purchase fast bowlers were getting with the new ball at the MCG, the openers were expected to toil hard in the first six overs. However, a positive and confident approach would've helped the batter come to grips with the situation.

Unfortunately, for Rahul, he looked tentative from the start, which eventually led to his downfall in the second over. Rahul attempted to push a fifth-stump ball onto the off-side but instead chopped on off Naseem Shah, mirroring his Asia Cup dismissal against the same opposition.

With a somewhat diffident batting approach, Rahul once again failed on a big stage, mustering only four runs off eight balls.

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#1 Hit - Virat Kohli (India)

Former skipper Kohli played an iconic innings

Virat Kohli's innings on Sunday is beyond what words can say. The chase-master came up with a knock for the ages and once again proved why he is referred to as one of the best, if not the best, batters of the modern generation.

Coming to bat at three, Kohli saw his side slump to 31-4. India were in dire straits and needed someone to step up and get in on the act against a potent Pakistani bowling attack.

At first, Kohli had trouble finding his timing, but as the game drew near, he broke out, unleashing a flurry of surreal strokes. Drawing onto his vast experience, the former Indian skipper paced his innings gallantly.

The Delhi lad stitched a match-winning partnership of 113 runs alongside Hardik Pandya. While the all-rounder failed to accelerate in the death overs, Kohli took a toll on the opposition bowlers.

In total, Kohli clobbered six boundaries and four mighty sixes, scoring a resounding 53-ball 82*. Unsurprisingly, he was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his heroic batting efforts.