In a disappointing turn of events for Pakistani cricket enthusiasts, India delivered a resounding defeat to the Men in Green, achieving their most significant-ever ODI victory against their arch-rivals at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Monday.
Pakistan, tasked with chasing a daunting 357-run target, found themselves restricted to 128-8 in 32 overs, with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf unable to bat due to injuries. India’s standout bowler was Kuldeep Yadav, who finished with impressive figures of 5-25 in eight overs.
The Pakistani batting display left much to be desired, with Fakhar Zaman emerging as the top scorer with 27 runs off 50 balls. Agha Salman and Iftikhar Ahmed managed to contribute 23 runs each.
India win the Super 4 match in Colombo by 228 runs.#PAKvIND | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/letSsIzja8
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 11, 2023
Pakistan’s star batter and captain, Babar Azam, struggled to make an impact, scoring just 10 runs off 24 balls before being dismissed by a brilliant delivery from Hardik Pandya.
In the lead-up, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul showcased exceptional batting prowess by each scoring centuries, enabling India to set a daunting target of 357 runs for Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup clash in Colombo.
The match between Pakistan and India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 began after a rain delay, but India quickly seized control once the players took to the field.
India finished their innings with an imposing total of 356-2 in their allotted 50 overs, with Pakistan failing to claim any wickets on the reserve day.
Kohli remained unbeaten with a stellar 122 runs off 94 balls, featuring nine fours and three sixes. Meanwhile, Rahul also made a significant contribution, ending not out with 111 runs off 106 balls, which included 14 boundaries.