Pakistan Secures First Win at T20 World Cup, Defeats Canada by 7 Wickets
Pakistan achieved its first victory in the T20 World Cup by defeating Canada by seven wickets. Canada’s inexperienced batting lineup struggled against Pakistan’s formidable pace attack, culminating in a low score of 106-7. Aaron Johnson stood out with a 44-ball 52, but Mohammad Amir’s impressive figures of 2-13 helped contain Canada.
Mohammad Rizwan anchored Pakistan’s chase with an unbeaten 53, guiding them to 107-3 in 17.3 overs. This win followed Pakistan’s earlier loss to arch-rival India. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam emphasized the importance of the victory, highlighting the team’s strong start with the ball in the first six overs.
Johnson briefly unsettled Pakistan by hitting consecutive boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first two balls. However, Amir, returning from retirement for the World Cup, immediately put pressure on the Canadian batters, leading to a steady fall of wickets. Johnson, dropped on 44 by Fakhar Zaman, eventually reached his half-century before being dismissed by Naseem Shah in the 14th over.
Fast bowler Haris Rauf achieved a milestone, becoming the third quickest to take 100 wickets in T20 internationals, finishing with figures of 2-26. Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar, born in Pakistan, expressed disappointment over the loss, citing difficult batting conditions and a crucial toss loss.
Pakistan’s experiment with Saim Ayub as an opener did not pay off, as he managed only 6 runs off 12 balls before being dismissed by Dillon Heyliger (2-18). Rizwan and Babar then put together a 63-run partnership, though Babar expressed frustration upon his dismissal for 33. Rizwan’s steady innings ensured Pakistan’s successful chase.
To advance to the Super 8s, Pakistan, the 2022 runner-up, must defeat Ireland and hope for favorable outcomes in the remaining matches involving co-host USA, who previously made history by defeating Pakistan in a Super Over tiebreaker.
Other matches on Tuesday included Australia opting to bowl first against Namibia in Antigua, while the Sri Lanka-Nepal match in Florida faced rain delays.
