IND vs PAK 2022: 3 Indian players who flopped in the T20 World Cup mega clash against Pakistan

A stunning innings from Virat Kohli helped Team India make a winning start to their 2022 T20 World Cup campaign as they got over the line in a last-ball thriller against Pakistan at the MCG on Sunday, October 23.

Kohli struck an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls and walked away with the Player of the Match award. He had support from Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh as the Men in Blue delighted a packed crowd in Melbourne. However, a few of India's key men couldn't come up with the goods on the big stage.

Here are three Indian players who flopped in their T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan.

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#3 Axar Patel

India v Australia - T20 International Series: Game 3

Brought in to bowl in the second half of Pakistan's innings, Axar Patel was expected to exercise some control over a favorable match-up in Iftikhar Ahmed. But his first over turned out to be his only over of the match as the left-arm spinner leaked 21 runs, courtesy of three sixes.

Iftikhar first connected a slog-sweep over midwicket, with Axar slightly modifying his length as an adjustment. The result was a mow over long-on, after which the batter decided to test KL Rahul at long-off. Rahul tried his best but the ball landed beyond the boundary rope, giving Pakistan a massive amount of momentum.

Axar was promoted to No. 5 after India lost three quick wickets and lasted only three balls. After he poked one into the leg-side, a miscommunication with Virat Kohli found him short of his ground. Third umpire Richard Kettleborough needs to be asked some questions about his decision, but Axar shouldn't have been in that position in the first place.

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#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma blew hot and cold in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. He played a few decent knocks in the Asia Cup and in the T20I series against Australia before bagging two ducks in the three-match assignment against South Africa. Coming into the tournament, his game against pace and bounce was always going to be key for India.

Unfortunately, in his first test Down Under, Rohit managed only four runs. An outswinger from Haris Rauf saw him nick off in the fourth over, leaving the Men in Blue two down for just 10.

Rohit hasn't been at his best in T20I cricket for quite some time now, and India need their skipper to come good.

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#1 KL Rahul

KL Rahul getting out to a tentative poke in a big game is not a new sight, and another installment of the opener's inability to perform on the biggest stages transpired in Melbourne.

In a repeat of his Asia Cup dismissal against the same opposition, Rahul chopped on off Naseem Shah while trying to nudge the ball into the off-side. Right from the first ball he faced off Shaheen Shah Afridi, the 30-year-old seemed like he was waiting to be dismissed instead of taking the game on.

When the lights are bright, Rahul just doesn't step up. India need him to recover from this setback and come up with a few memorable knocks during the remainder of the tournament.