"INDIA WINS. SCIENCE WINS. ISRO WINS."- Fans stunned as Ravichandran Ashwin tricks Nawaz to bowl a wide on last ball of IND vs PAK T20 World Cup match

While Virat Kohli was undoubtedly the biggest reason for Team India's win over Pakistan, Ravichandran Ashwin's presence of mind showed just why he is one of the most intelligent cricketers going around.

Ashwin came out to bat under extreme pressure as the Men in Blue required two runs off the final ball. Pakistan had just dismissed Dinesh Karthik and would have certainly fancied their chances to at least take the game to a Super Over.

However, as Mohammad Nawaz was about to bowl, Ravichandran Ashwin gave the impression that he was going to hit it down the ground by going deep into his crease. Watching that, Nawaz fired it at his pads. But Ashwin was clever enough to leave the ball as it ended up being a wide down the leg side.

Nawaz had his hands on his head as he knew he was completely outdone by Ravichandran Ashwin's brilliance. Fans on Twitter noticed this and hailed the 36-year-old for his presence of mind even in such a crunch situation. Here are some of the reactions:

​

??

@AmSoDone

Pak were unlucky Ashwin had to face the last ball. This man practises these scenarios every day in his head

6399

703

Pak were unlucky Ashwin had to face the last ball. This man practises these scenarios every day in his head

Silly Point 🙏 Kohli

@FarziCricketer

Did nothing to do everything, @ashwinravi99 🧠

11708

971

Did nothing to do everything, @ashwinravi99 🧠🙏 https://t.co/G0ukHAGao4

Ayushmann Khurrana

@ayushmannk

Pandya and DK got out. Then came in Ashwin. Coolly gauged the wide ball. Well left. Scored the final runs. I’ve never witnessed a collective uproar of applause inside an aircraft. All this was happening while we were full throttle on the runway. Great timing by the flight captain

20622

940

Pandya and DK got out. Then came in Ashwin. Coolly gauged the wide ball. Well left. Scored the final runs. I’ve never witnessed a collective uproar of applause inside an aircraft. All this was happening while we were full throttle on the runway. Great timing by the flight captain

Abhishek Mukherjee

@ovshake42

Everyone is going mad, on the ground, in the dugout, in front of screens.

Ashwin comes out, leaves nonchalantly.
Field comes in. He lofts the next ball, runs.

As if this is a club match, happens every day, no tension, get this done, go home, have tea, watch a web series.

14634

1201

Everyone is going mad, on the ground, in the dugout, in front of screens.

Ashwin comes out, leaves nonchalantly.
Field comes in. He lofts the next ball, runs.

As if this is a club match, happens every day, no tension, get this done, go home, have tea, watch a web series.

Sarah Waris

@swaris16

Ashwin leaving the wide will not be spoken about, but that was some smart stuff.

14078

928

Ashwin leaving the wide will not be spoken about, but that was some smart stuff.

Mufaddal Vohra

@mufaddal_vohra

Ravi Ashwin was smart in the last two balls - he was calm and composed, recognised the wide ball brilliantly and then smashed over the top to win the game.

14831

872

Ravi Ashwin was smart in the last two balls - he was calm and composed, recognised the wide ball brilliantly and then smashed over the top to win the game.

Prabhudheva

@PDdancing

R Ashwin presence of mind , DK fast running between the wickets is superb,

22702

1031

R Ashwin presence of mind , DK fast running between the wickets is superb, ❤️❤️❤️

Tanmay Bhat

@thetanmay

It's almost like Ashwin predicted that ball will be down the leg side?

16233

381

It's almost like Ashwin predicted that ball will be down the leg side?

Johns.

@CricCrazyJohns

The calmness and presence of the mind by Ashwin was really impressive during the wide and the shot which took India into the victory.

7543

542

The calmness and presence of the mind by Ashwin was really impressive during the wide and the shot which took India into the victory.

mark butcher

@markbutcher72

Unlike the legend that is R Ashwin to be involved in something mildly controversial… #INDvPAK

9562

398

Unlike the legend that is R Ashwin to be involved in something mildly controversial… 😉 #INDvPAK 🇮🇳🇵🇰

Louis Cameron

@LouisDBCameron

Of all the absolutely batshit bits of that game, Ashwin not offering a shot on what was supposed to be the last ball of the game might take the cake #T20WorldCup

3916

318

Of all the absolutely batshit bits of that game, Ashwin not offering a shot on what was supposed to be the last ball of the game might take the cake #T20WorldCup

Deep Gandhi

@journo_deep

Man of the match
#INDvsPAK2022 #ashwin

6955

464

Man of the match 😂😂
#INDvsPAK2022 #ashwin https://t.co/B9Z7f5hdWZ

uno

@bbgathome

the level of calmness that Ashwin had to judge under THAT much pressure to judge ki ye ball wide hai >>>

2604

130

the level of calmness that Ashwin had to judge under THAT much pressure to judge ki ye ball wide hai >>>

Silly Point 🙏 Kohli

@FarziCricketer

ASHWIN TRICKS BOWLER. INDIA WINS. SCIENCE WINS. ISRO WINS. NASA WINS. HEISENBERG WINS.

15186

1334

ASHWIN TRICKS BOWLER. INDIA WINS. SCIENCE WINS. ISRO WINS. NASA WINS. HEISENBERG WINS.

Manya

@CSKian716

Ashwin first got bashed for his fielding and then got applauded for his IQ and game awareness.

Standard day at the office for Anna.

491

43

Ashwin first got bashed for his fielding and then got applauded for his IQ and game awareness.

Standard day at the office for Anna.

Abijit Ganguly

@AbijitG

Also, hats off to Ashwin for sheer awareness to know he'll be just darting the ball on leg. What composure.

4687

228

Also, hats off to Ashwin for sheer awareness to know he'll be just darting the ball on leg. What composure.

Hardik Rajgor

@Hardism

Cricket is the only game where a left alone can be one of the biggest moments in the match. Ashwin walks out with 2 to get from 1. The temptation is to panic and hit, like Karthik did. But Ashwin showed nerves of steel to let that wide go. And what a classy four to finish it!

2235

251

Cricket is the only game where a left alone can be one of the biggest moments in the match. Ashwin walks out with 2 to get from 1. The temptation is to panic and hit, like Karthik did. But Ashwin showed nerves of steel to let that wide go. And what a classy four to finish it!

Pavilion Opinions

@pavilionopinion

Genuinely expect Ashwin to one day politely invite Nawaz to do a YouTube interview to analyse that last over.

1199

95

Genuinely expect Ashwin to one day politely invite Nawaz to do a YouTube interview to analyse that last over.

---

Ravichandran Ashwin's winning shot and Virat Kohli's emotions worth remembering

With just one needed off the final ball, Ashwin kept his cool and timed the ball beautifully over the head of mid-off to send the Indian team and the crowd at the MCG into delirium.

The scenes after India's win were simply incredible as the players stormed onto the field to hug Kohli. Captain Rohit Sharma picking up Kohli in celebration was arguably the best moment of the game. Every single player might have realized that India got out of jail there as the game was gone at one point.

It is almost unbelievable that Kohli's place in the T20I squad was under the scanner just a few months ago. But he has proved once again why he sould never be written off.

​