On a day when Pakistan desperately needed momentum, they found themselves stuck in a web of dot balls, unable 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, highlighting the precision and fielding brilliance of India’s bowlers.
From the outset, Indian bowlers controlled the game, denying Pakistan’s batters any 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 known for his fluent scoring, found himself restricted, with his strokes often finding fielders instead of gaps.
Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan tried to rotate the strike, but India’s bowlers dried up singles effectively.
Every over felt like a repeat—solid defense, cautious strokes, and growing frustration from the batters. By the halfway mark, the scoreboard reflected Pakistan’s struggles, with the run rate barely moving forward.
As the innings progressed, the pressure intensified. The lack of boundaries and mounting dot balls forced risky shots, leading to errors. India, sensing the upper hand, tightened their grip even more to keep Pakistan shackled.
The story of the first 26 overs wasn’t about big wickets or dramatic collapses—it was about an invisible battle, where Pakistan’s batters were suffocated under the heavy weight of 100 dot balls. It became a slow-burning crisis that could decide the fate of the match unless Pakistan found a way to break free and accelerate.
