Asia Cup 2023, Match 9
India VS Pakistan Played at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka on 11 September 2023
India 356/2 (Virat Kohli 122*, KL Rahul 111*, Shubman Gill 58, Rohit Sharma 56, Shadab Khan 1/71, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1/79)
Pakistan 128 All Out in 32 Overs (Agha Salman 23, Iftikhar Ahmed 23, Kuldeep Yadav 5/25, Shardul Thakur 1/16, Hardik Pandya 1/17, Jasprit Bumrah 1/18)
India won by 228 Runs
Player of the match: Virat Kohli
Indian cricket army firing in all cylinders ruthlessly bashed, bruised, battered and humiliated Pakistan in what was a thoroughly one-sided affair yesterday at Premadasa.
On the reserve day of match Indian world class batsmen Virat Kohli (122*) and KL Rahul (111*) playing breathless cricket of calculated aggression punished Pakistan bowling produced unbroken 3rd wicket partnership of 233.
India scored skyscraping 356/2. Indian bowlers then crashed down and out Pakistan batting crashing them to 128 all out in 32 Overs. Left am mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav (5/25) appeared to hot to handle. Pakistan’s mission Asia Cup 2023 got a huge blow. They now must absorb the shock quickly and regroup forgetting the nightmare. Their match against Sri Lanka will be virtual knock out. India will play Sri Lanka today at the same venue with the pleasant memory of landslide victory against archrival.
The foundation of Indian innings was laid by their opening batsmen Rohit and Gill yesterday with a solid opening partnership of 121 before they fell to Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi. When rain forced the match to reserve day India looked comfortable at 147/2 in 24.1 overs. There were thoughts that Pakistan will regroup overnight, and its quality bowling attack appear in wicket taking mode. But that was not the case. Two of the top batsmen of modern cricket King Kohli and KL Rahul started merciless counter attacking. Both played eye-catching marvelous strokes all around the park.
Cricket lovers across the glove were treated with the exhibition of aggressive batting. Kohli scored unbeaten 122 in 94 deliveries striking 9 fours and 3 sixes. Rahul matched Kohli remaining unbeaten scoring 111 in 106 deliveries. Handicapped by the absence of Haris Rauf through injury Pakistan attack looked ragged, fielding was also sloppy. Indian score of 356/2 was their highest against Pakistan in ODI and the 3rd wicket partnership of 233 in 195 deliveries was also their highest and quickest.
After such bashing it is usually not possible to regroup. Pakistan’s reply looked lackluster. Bumrah, Siraj moved the new ball prodigiously at pace. Fakhar, Imam and even Babar had no clue. Half of the team was back in the hut before 100 runs were put on board. Left arm spin of Kuldeep Yadav (5/26) appeared too hot to handle.
Pakistan innings was wrapped up for 128 in 32 overs as injured Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah did not appear to bat. Losing by huge 228 runs Pakistan will have to regroup quick for a virtual knock out match against Sri Lanka. India plays today at the same venue with the happy memory of great win against archrival. KL Rahul has returned to his brilliant best .Kohli proved yet again why he is adored as one of the finest batsman world has ever produced.
BDST: 1014 HRS, SEP 12, 2023
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