Former cricketer Salim Malik has held all-rounder Imad Wasim responsible for the national team’s loss to India in a crucial T-20 World Cup match in New York yesterday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

Commenting on the match result during the 24News live cricket transmission, the former skipper has said that while on the one hand, Imad allowed the required run rate to go up by playing at an extremely slow pace, on the other hand, he made sure he stayed at the crease and did not give the batsmen following him to contribute to the run-chase. “The truth of the matter is that he did it deliberately so that Pakistan lose the match.”  

It was because of him, Malik, who won several matches for Pakistan during his career, went on to say, that opener Muhammad Rizwan got out early.

He said that Pakistani bowlers played their role in restricting India to 119 runs. “But these were the batsmen, especially Imad, who allowed the required run rate to go beyond 6 which ultimately made the run-chase an uphill task,” Malik said.

Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten defended the playing surface at New York's T20 Cricket World Cup venue on Sunday following his team's defeat to India in a low-scoring contest.

India were bowled out for 119, their lowest ever score against Pakistan in a T20 game but won by six wickets after their rivals fell just short.

All five games at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, which features a 'drop in' square, laid a month before the tournament, have been low-scoring affairs.

There had been criticism of the surface after India's win over Ireland last week with former Zimbabwe international and ex-England team director Andy Flower calling it "dangerous" because of the uneven bounce.

But Sunday's wicket, while hard to score on, provided only the ocassional ball which 'popped' off a length and Kirsten said it had made for an interesting game.

"I think it wasn't dangerous, I mean the odd one rose up, but not many. Generally it kept a little bit lower, it was difficult to score from both batting sides and also a fairly slow outfield so it was never going to be a big total," said Kirsten.

"I would have said 140 would have been a really good score on that pitch, so India didn't get that and so I thought we had the game," added the South African.

Kirsten said that while boundaries had been at a premium, unusually for the big-hitting T20 format, that simply made for a different kind of contest.

"We knew it was going to be tight, but you know sometimes it's fun seeing games like that as well, it's not always about sixes and hitting, getting 260 and 240's, you can actually have a really entertaining game on a 120 chase, so I don't think it's bad for the game," he said.

Pakistan fans were dejected Monday after a loss to arch-rivals India compounded their cricket T20 World Cup misery, with some declaring their campaign a lost cause after only two matches.

"Cricket is finished for Pakistan," one spectator told his companions in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, among fans who abandoned a big-screen viewing event before the final ball was bowled.

As night fell on Sunday, crowds had surged into the 15,000-seat Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hoping to see a victory for captain Babar Azam's beleaguered side in a match halfway around the globe in New York.

However a low-scoring thriller saw India beat Pakistan by six runs on a tricky batting surface, and in the moments after midnight supporters hurled plastic bottles at the screens in frustration.

"Fate had something else in mind," 26-year-old Ahsan Ullah told AFP, as resigned fans streamed out of the stadium. "Right now our hearts are a little broken."

The loss follows the major humiliation of Pakistan's defeat to USA on Thursday, with the co-host debutants beating the 2022 finalists and 2009 champions in a Super Over thriller in Texas.

Pakistan’s third wicket fell at 73 when Fakhar Zaman tried to hit Hardik over midwicket. 

First skipper Babar Azam went at 13 runs when a sensational catch was held in the slips by Yadav. Length ball that shaped back in; Babar wasn't sure whether to play or leave, ended up dabbing it to Suryakumar Yadav at first slip.

The second wicket was down when Usman Khan was declared LBW on the ball of Chahal. 

Pakistan’s first fell at 26 when skipper Babar Azam out at 13 runs as Bumrah struck.

A sensational catch was held in the slips by Yadav. Length ball that shaped back in; Babar wasn't sure whether to play or leave, ended up dabbing it to Suryakumar Yadav at first slip.

Pakistan are on their way here with 19 without any lose in three overs.

Arshdeep Singh, Bumrah and Siraj have bowled one over each.

Baber is playing at 9 while Rizwan at 8.

Pakistan pacers rattled Indian innings at regular intervals as India were bowled out for 119 runs in 19.1 overs in their Group A Twent20 World Cup match being played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York — the 34,000-capacity venue built earlier this year.

Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took three wickets each while Amir took two. Shaheen Shah Afridi took one wicket while the last man was run out after a catch was dropped off Rauf's ball. 

India were reduced to 96-7 after 14.2 overs of their innings against Pakistan in their Group A Twent20 World Cup match being played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York — the 34,000-capacity venue built earlier this year.

Muhammad Amir removed Rishabh Pant as Babar Azam held on to the chance given by Pant who was lucky to survive twice in his previous over. On the very next ball, he removed Ravindra Jadeja as well for a duck who was caught by Imad Wasim. Pant made 42 runs off 30 balls hitting six boundaries.

Pakistan pace sensation Naseem Shah struck a third time as he removed Shivam Dube in the 14^th over.

Dube was deceived by the slower ball and handed it straight back to the safe hands of the bowler.

Dube made 3 runs off 9 balls as India were reduced to 96-5 after 14 overs.

National wrestler Inam Butt has claimed that he was available to help and make national cricketer Azam Kham physically fit within three months, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Inam Butt said if Azam Khan gets training in Gujranwala sports arena for three months, he will get fully fit.

He claimed that during the training, Azam Khan's weight will also decrease between 30-35 kg.

The national wrestler said that he will train Azam Khan with wrestlers for 5 to 6 hours daily. Besides training, wrestler will also offer Azam Khan a reasonable diet so that he may not feel weakness.

He further said that after three months of training, Azam Khan will appear as the most powerful batter.