Finance
India vs Pakistan 2023: In a highly anticipated match of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, India skipper Rohit Sharma smashed six fours and as many sixes on his way to top-scoring with a scintillating 86 off 63 balls and leading the hosts to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Pakistan.
In the afternoon, India bowled out Pakistan for just 191 in 42.5 overs because to the effective wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, as well as other wicket-takers. Pakistan lost eight wickets for just 36 runs in 13 overs after being 155-2 at one point.
In the chase of 192, apart from Rohit’s efforts, Shreyas Iyer got crucial game time to make 53 not out off 62 balls, to give India its eighth straight victory over Pakistan in Men’s ODI World Cups in an utterly one-sided match, also its third consecutive win of the ongoing competition.
Chasing 200, Shubman Gill didn’t look like he was back after missing first two games due to illness – striking three absolutely gorgeous boundaries through the off-side, before tickling one through fine to hit his fourth four in nine balls.
His promising knock ended in the third over when he flashed hard at a short and wide delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi and picked out backward point. Rohit struggled to get his timing initially, but found his groove when he carved Hasan Ali over point and flicked sweetly through mid-wicket for two fours.
There was more delight in store for Indian fans as Virat Kohli creamed his cover drive to absolute pristine timing against Shaheen and would later bring out an extra-cover drive against left-arm pacer for two unforgettable boundaries.
Rohit, meanwhile, entertained the crowd with mesmerising maximums – Shaheen was hooked over fine leg, Mohammad Nawaz was flicked over mid-wicket and Haris Rauf was muscled over long-on, also his 300th ODI six. He hit his 301st six by crunching Rauf over cover for six, before Pakistan hit back as Hasan got Kohli to mis-time to mid-on, leaving the crowd silent.
After reaching his 50 in just 36 balls, Rohit proceeded to hammer boundaries with ease and had strong assistance from Iyer, who joined him in pelting Pakistan’s bowlers with fours and sixes, especially the spinners.
Rohit missed a slower ball from Shaheen that would have given him his second consecutive century by 14 runs, but Iyer and KL Rahul easily scored the 36 runs needed to win the match for India, with the former completing his fifty by a decisive six down the ground.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 191 in 42.5 overs (Babar Azam 50, Mohammad Rizwan 49; Jasprit Bumrah 2-19, Hardik Pandya 2-34) lost to India 192-3 in 30.3 overs (Rohit Sharma 86, Shreyas Iyer 53 not out; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-36, Hasan Ali 1-34) by seven wickets
(IANS)
