India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023: India’s dominant performance
India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023– In a rain-affected thriller that unfolded over Sunday and Monday in Colombo, Team India delivered a cricketing masterclass by defeating the top-ranked ODI team, Pakistan, with a resounding 228-run victory. This remarkable win now stands as India’s biggest ODI triumph over Pakistan in terms of runs, leaving fans and cricket enthusiasts buzzing with excitement.
Record-Breaking Partnership
The two-day spectacle reached its zenith on the second day when KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, two of India’s premier batsmen, notched up centuries and created history by stitching together the highest ODI partnership for India against Pakistan.
Their monumental partnership, worth a staggering 233 runs, piled on the misery for a Pakistan side already grappling with a bowler shortage due to the absence of Haris Rauf, who was sidelined as a precautionary measure following scans that revealed inflammation in his oblique muscle.
Exploiting Pakistan’s Bowling Woes
Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, was compelled to turn to Iftikhar Ahmed’s part-time spin to cover the five overs that Rauf couldn’t bowl. However, none of the Pakistan bowlers came close to breaking through the Indian duo’s formidable partnership. As the innings progressed, Rahul and Kohli began to score more freely, culminating in an explosive display as they plundered 92 runs off the last eight overs. This batting blitz propelled India to an imposing total of 356/2 in their allotted 50 overs.
Bowlers Take Center Stage
After the batsmen had showcased their prowess, it was time for India’s pace bowlers to shine. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj made the Pakistan openers hop and skip at the crease, utilizing their ability to make the ball move both ways. Even Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, currently the world’s No.1 ODI batsman, was left chasing deliveries that swung away and consistently eluded the outside edge.
Early Wickets Tumble
In the fifth over, Imam-Ul-Haq fell victim to Bumrah’s masterful delivery, which squared him up and led to a nick to the wicketkeeper. Fakhar Zaman encountered similar challenges when facing Mohammed Siraj, who adeptly switched between deliveries angled across the left-hander and those that held their line from the middle-stump.
Such was India’s precision with the ball that it took Babar Azam 8.2 overs to open his account, highlighting the pressure imposed by the Indian pacers. Zaman, mirroring his captain’s struggles, found it difficult to connect the bat with the ball, resulting in a slow accumulation of runs.
Kuldeep Yadav’s Brilliance
Following the initial assault by Bumrah and Siraj, Babar Azam managed to survive. However, he was left utterly bewildered by a sharp nipbacker from Hardik Pandya in the 11th over. Rain briefly interrupted play at the end of Pandya’s over, but once the skies cleared, India resumed their onslaught.
Shardul Thakur replicated Pandya’s success, dismissing Mohammad Rizwan, who edged the ball to KL Rahul, who had taken over wicketkeeping duties from Ishan Kishan. Hardik Pandya and Thakur continued to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen, particularly Zaman and newcomer Agha Salman.
Kuldeep Yadav’s Five-Wicket Haul
However, it was Kuldeep Yadav who delivered the final blow to Pakistan’s chase. In just his second over, Kuldeep claimed his first wicket as Zaman succumbed to the pressure of the mounting required run rate, attempting an ill-fated wild swing and missing the ball, which crashed into his stumps.
Kuldeep continued to torment the Pakistani batsmen, with Agha Salman falling victim to a leg-before-wicket decision as he attempted a sweep shot. Shadab Khan, enticed into a big shot by a lofted delivery, could only manage to hit it as far as Shardul Thakur at long-on.
Kuldeep’s fourth wicket was a bit of a gift, with Iftikhar Ahmed hitting a long-hop straight back to the bowler. The final nail in the coffin was Faheem Ashraf, who was comprehensively bowled out by a wrong ‘un from Kuldeep.
Game Conclusion
The match concluded with Pakistan managing only 128 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 32 overs. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah were unavailable to bat due to injuries sustained during India’s innings.
In summary, India’s resounding victory over Pakistan was a cricketing spectacle to remember. The batsmen delivered exceptional centuries, while the bowlers showcased their prowess, with Kuldeep Yadav’s five-wicket haul sealing the deal.
This monumental win will forever be etched in cricketing history as a testament to India’s cricketing dominance and their ability to rise to the occasion against their arch-rivals.
Cricket Stats
Biggest victory for India in ODIs (in runs)
317 vs Sri Lanka, Trivandrum, 2023*
257 vs Bermuda, Port of Spain, 2007
256 vs Hongkong, Karachi, 2008
228 vs Pakistan, Colombo (RPS), 2023*
Biggest defeat for Pakistan in ODIs (in runs):
234 vs Sri Lanka, Lahore, 2009
228 vs India, Colombo (RPS), 2023*
224 vs Australia, Nairobi, 2002
198 vs England, Nottingham, 1992
Most runs in ODIs:
18426 – Sachin Tendulkar
14234 – Kumar Sangakkara
13704 – Ricky Ponting
13430 – Sanath Jayasuriya
13024 – Virat Kohli*
Highest partnership for India vs Pakistan in ODIs:
233* – V Kohli & KL Rahul, Colombo (RPS), today* (3rd wkt)
231 – NS Sidhu & SR Tendulkar, Sharjah, 1996 (2nd wkt)
210 – S Dhawan & R Sharma, Dubai (DSc), 2018 (1st wkt)
201 – Rahul Dravid & V Sehwag, Kochi, 2005 (3rd wkt)
– 233* also the India’s second highest partnership for 3rd wickets in ODIs.
Fewest innings to 13000 ODI runs:
267 – Virat Kohli*
321 – Sachin Tendulkar
341 – Ricky Ponting
363 – Kumar Sangakkara
416 – Sanath Jayasuriya
Highest partnership in ODI Asia Cup
233 – V Kohli & KL Rahul vs PAK, today*
224 – M Hafeez & N Jamshed vs IND, 2012
223 – S Malik & Younis Khan vs HK, 2004
214 – Babar & Iftikhar Ahmed vs NEP, 2023
Most 100s in ODI Asia Cup:
6 – Sanath Jayasuriya
4 – Virat Kohli*
4 – Kumar Sangakkara
3 – Shoaib Malik
