Martin Guptill points out Pakistan's pivotal misstep against India in T20 WC clash

New Zealand batter Martin Guptill pinpointed a critical juncture where Pakistan's chase against India faltered on Sunday. Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, suffered a narrow six-run defeat to their arch-rivals, which has placed their hopes of advancing to the Super 8 stage in jeopardy.

Guptill, speaking on a local sports channel, identified the turning point around the 80-run mark during Pakistan’s innings, where he believes the team lost their composure under pressure.

"Probably around the 80-run mark, I think. They just started to lose their way and pressure got to them and played rash shots which were not needed. It was due to frustration and not being able to score freely," Guptill said.

He emphasized the importance of staying focused and not letting ego dictate shot selection.

"In these situations, a batter needs to put his ego aside and bat what is in front of you. A batter needs to ask, what do I need for the team at that time. New Zealand have done the same so well over the past 10 years under pressure and Pakistan batters needed to do the same," he further added.

Despite the setback, Guptill remains optimistic about Pakistan's potential for a comeback. 

"Pakistan have a big learning from this game and hopefully, moving forward they can do a lot better in the next two games and give themselves a chance to come back in the tournament," he concluded.

Pakistan’s batting lineup squandered a crucial opportunity to revive their campaign by failing to chase down a modest target of 120 set by India. The team's lack of discipline and poor shot selection led to a dramatic collapse, as they managed only 113 for 7, handing India an unexpected six-run victory.