Right then, Round 2 of the Pakistan-India rivalry in the 2023 Asia Cup is done and it is India who get crucial two points on the board in the Super Four stage. India though have a tough task ahead as in about half a day’s time they have to do it all again as they go up against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the 12th of September in Match number of the Super Four stage at the very same venue. With both teams on two points, a win could almost guarantee in the final. That match will begin at 3 pm IST (9.30 am GMT) given there’s no rain but our build-up, as usual, will begin much sooner. Do join us then and till then, take care and goodbye!
Virat Kohli is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his brilliant ton. Kohli says that he always prepares his game to help his team and credits KL Rahul for getting a good start. He mentions that his job was the rotate the strike and once he completed his half-century he started taking on the bowlers. His target was the keep the partnership going. He talks about that cheeky shot where he opened the face of his bat and says that he doesn’t play that shot often and that he is a conventional player along with KL Rahul who bats the same way. He mentions that it is a memorable partnership for him and credits KL Rahul for coming back from an injury. He says that matches on back-to-back days is a different challenge and that he is ready for the next match and adds that he will take care of his recovery. He also thanks the groundsmen for their unwavering effort for the match to happen smoothly.
The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma says that they wanted to get some game time which is very important for an ODI. He credits the groundsmen for their effort and thanks them for doing a terrific job. He adds that it is not easy to manage the ground. He mentions that it was a fantastic batting performance and they knew that the wicket was good but the interruptions were a hindrance. He adds that it was a terrific effort from the two centurions. He credits Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah for bowling brilliant spells and appreciates Bumrah for coming back strongly after a long injury. He says that it was an all-round performance and applauds KL Rahul for coming into the team at the last minute and playing a fantastic innings and credits his mindset.
The Presentation ceremony…
Babar Azam, the skipper of Pakistan says that his team were not up to the mark. He adds that he was surprised that the batters attacked their bowlers from the start and credits KL Rahul and Virat Kohli for finishing well. He mentions that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled very well in the first Powerplay and ends by saying that they failed to build strong partnerships.
The man of the moment, Kuldeep Yadav is down for a chat. Kuldeep says that he is very happy for his fifer and owes it to his practice and his consistency. He adds that he has got 4 wickets before on numerous occasions but bowling on a good length helped him achieve this milestone. He mentions that he plans when he is playing against a top side and focuses on his variation. He anticipated that the batters would try to play his across the line so he bowled according to that.
The top-ranked ODI side in the world has had an outing to forget and have crumbled under pressure here but these things are bound to happen every now and then. Pakistan just didn’t get the start with the ball like in the previous game between these two sides and even when they looked to have made a comeback, the rain came. When play finally resumed on the reserve day, they found themselves without the services of the in-form Haris Rauf who picked up a niggle and were forced to use the part-timers in his absence. But even their frontline bowlers couldn’t make a mark and it was a daunting task ahead for the batters. The opening pair of Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman hardly managed to get bat onto ball with the former getting out early. Babar Azam was then dismissed by a gem of a delivery by and so was Mohammad Rizwan. After that, the innings never got back on track and it just kept on going downhill. Agha Salman and Iftikhar Ahmed did manage to get into the 20s but had no answer to the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and ended up losing the game by 228 runs.
India had the platform laid down for them by the two openers when the game started on Sunday and it was all about starting strongly on the reserve day. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were on the top of their game from the get go and took India to a mammoth total thanks to their twin centuries. With the ball, under the floodlights, Jasprit Bumrah found his rhythm and bowled like he has been playing throughout the year. Bumrah got the ball to talk and got the early wicket and Mohammed Siraj too troubled the batters but once Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur came on to bowl, they got quick wickets that put India in the driving seat. Kuldeep Yadav then came on and weaved his magic as he ripped through the Pakistani middle order ending up with five out of the 8 wickets that fell, paving the way for India’s biggest ever victory over Pakistan in terms of runs.
Just under 32 hours before the first ball was bowled, this highly-anticipated contest has reached a conclusion and it is India who have cruised to the win. Haris Rauf was injured before play began on the reserve day and Naseem Shah too picked up a late niggle in the first innings and that means Pakistan will finish with 128/8. All the excitement leading up to the contest, all the rain delays and the use of the reserve day but in the end, this has turned out to be a one-sided affair between these two colossal giants of ODI cricket.
31.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! TIMBER! A FIFER FOR Kuldeep Yadav! He bowled this one a little short and on top of middle and leg. Faheem Ashraf shuffles away trying to cut it but gets an inside edge sending the ball crashing into the middle stump. India has clinched a massive victory over their arch-rivals as Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah will not come out to bat. Kuldeep Yadav will be a happy man with his five-wicket haul.
31.5 overs (0 Run) Floated up and on the pads. Faheem Ashraf misses the shot and the ball hits his pads. There is a loud appeal but the umpire turns it down.
31.4 overs (0 Run) Tossed up and on middle. Faheem Ashraf defends it solidly.
31.3 overs (1 Run) Short and on off. Shaheen Afridi slaps it to long off for a single.
31.2 overs (6 Runs) SIX! WHAT A SHOT! Flighted up and on middle and off. Shaheen Afridi swings hard and sends the ball beyond the long on fence for a maximum. 
31.1 overs (0 Run) Full and outside off. Shaheen Afridi misses on the reverse sweep.
30.6 overs (0 Run) Banged in short again on the pads. Faheem Ashraf couldn’t connect on the shot as the ball hits his pads.
30.5 overs (0 Run) Short and outside off. Faheem Ashraf swings and misses as the keeper collects it.
30.4 overs (0 Run) Full again from around the wicket and onto off. Faheem Ashraf slices it to point.
30.3 overs (0 Run) Fuller and outside off. Faheem Ashraf drives it to the fielder at cover.
30.2 overs (2 Runs) Short and on the thigh pads. Faheem Ashraf nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
30.1 overs (0 Run) Full and on the off pole. Faheem Ashraf drives it to mid off.
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