'The hurt remains after..': Pakistan still ‘heartbroken’ after T20 World Cup loss vs India, says Iftikhar Ahmed

The T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan was an absolute treat for the fans, as both teams gave their all on the field. Pakistan eventually lost the game as Virat Kohli's scintillating knock led India to an unlikely victory.

The defeat was a significant setback for Pakistan, which had a firm grip on the game until the 17th over. Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed revealed after the game that his team is still reeling from the defeat.

Speaking to AFP, Iftikhar said, “The hurt remains after losing such a big match. We were heartbroken”.

Praising his captain, he continued, “The way Babar and the management supported the players, it was good. Babar and coaches told us that ‘it was not our last game, everybody put in the effort. So our morale is high”.

During the game, Ahmed came in to bat with Pakistan trailing at 15/2 after four overs, with both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out. Ahmed targeted left-arm spinner Axar Patel after settling against some excellent bowling early on, smashing three sixes in his over. He hit a magnificent 51-ball knock to bring Pakistan back into the match. After 20 overs, Pakistan's innings ended at 159/8.

After 6.1 overs, India were at 31/4. Hardik Pandya joined Virat Kohli at the crease. The pair put on a 113-run stand off 78 balls to help India close in on victory. Virat Kohli completed the job with a scintillating knock of 82 off 53 balls, which turned the game around.

After the defeat to India, captain Babar said, “Our bowlers bowled really well. All credit to Kohli and Pandya. It wasn’t easy with the new ball. We had partnerships after 10 overs. We had a chance. We tried to stick to our plans. But credit to Virat Kohli. In the middle, we decided we wanted a wicket and held the spinner back. We had a lot of positives. The way Iftikhar played and the way Shan played.”

Aiming to return to winning ways in their next match, Iftikhar said, “Zimbabwe is an international team and we have to play strong against them like any other team. Important to play well and keep up the confidence. The players are hungry to perform.”

Pakistan will next play against Zimbabwe in their next match on Thursday while India will play against the Netherlands on the same day.

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