Virat Kohli won Man of the Match for his 122-run innings
Partnering with KL Rahul, he produced a masterclass, scoring a brilliant century that tilted the game heavily in India’s favor. Their partnership not only frustrated the Pakistani bowlers but also set up a commanding total. In the end, India cruised to victory, with Kohli once again proving why he is called the big-match player.
The match that lit up Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium during the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four stage was a one-sided thriller, with India crushing Pakistan by 228 runs. Played over two days, September 10 and 11, due to rain, this game was all about India’s batting fireworks and a ruthless bowling display.
India’s batting was like a perfectly scripted blockbuster, as they racked up a massive 356/2 in their 50 overs. It all started with their openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, who came out swinging. Pakistan, having won the toss, chose to bowl first, hoping their pace attack could make early inroads. But Rohit and Gill had other plans. They tore into the bowling from the get-go, putting up 61 runs in the first 10 overs without losing a wicket. Rohit, the Indian skipper, was in a mood, smashing six fours and four sixes in his 56 off 49 balls. His lofted cover drives and massive sixes had the crowd roaring. Gill, meanwhile, played with pure class, stroking 10 fours in his 58 off 52 balls. He reached his fifty in just 37 balls, picking gaps with ease and looking every bit the rising star.
Together, they put on 121 runs for the first wicket in 16.4 overs, setting a perfect platform. Pakistan finally got a breakthrough when Shadab Khan got Rohit caught by Faheem Ashraf. A couple of overs later, Shaheen Shah Afridi sent Gill packing, caught by Agha Salman, leaving India at 123/2 after 17.5 overs. That brought Virat Kohli and KL Rahul to the crease, and what followed was pure magic. Rain stopped play at 147/2 after 24.1 overs, pushing the game to the reserve day, but it didn’t faze these two. When play resumed, Kohli and Rahul took control, stitching together an unbeaten 233-run stand for the third wicket that broke Pakistan’s spirit.
Kohli was his usual composed self, starting steadily before unleashing his full range of shots. He finished unbeaten on 122 off 94 balls, with nine fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of nearly 130. His fifty came off 55 balls, and his hundred off 84, as he mixed clever singles with gorgeous boundaries. There was one moment when Pakistan thought they had him, but a review in the 27th over went in Kohli’s favor. KL Rahul, back from injury, was just as good, scoring an unbeaten 111 off 106 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. He started slowly, feeling his way back, but soon found his groove, reaching his fifty off 60 balls and his hundred off 100. His crisp drives and lofted shots were a joy to watch.
The duo’s partnership was a masterclass in pacing an innings. They kept the scoreboard ticking with quick singles and twos, then went big in the final 10 overs, adding 105 runs. Their 200-run stand came in just 179 balls, with both batters punishing anything loose. Pakistan’s bowlers had no answers. Shaheen Shah Afridi had a tough day, giving away 79 runs in his 10 overs for just one wicket. Shadab Khan picked up one wicket but went for 71 runs. Faheem Ashraf and Iftikhar Ahmed were expensive too, leaking runs at over seven and nine an over, respectively. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah couldn’t bowl their full quota due to injuries, which made things even harder for Pakistan. The Indian innings saw nine extras (eight wides, one no-ball), but it was the batting that stole the show.
India’s innings had everything: a fiery start, a solid middle, and an explosive finish. The powerplay set the tone, the middle overs built the foundation, and the final overs saw Kohli and Rahul go all out. By the time they walked off, India had 356/2 on the board, leaving Pakistan with a mountain to climb.
Pakistan’s chase of 357 was a complete disaster, as they crumbled to 128 all out in just 32 overs. India’s bowlers, led by a sensational Kuldeep Yadav, tore through the batting lineup like a hot knife through butter. Pakistan’s openers, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, had a tough task against Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who came out firing. The first 10 overs brought 43 runs, but Imam fell early for nine, caught by Shubman Gill off Bumrah in the 4.2nd over. That early wicket put Pakistan on the back foot, and things only got worse from there.
Babar Azam, Pakistan’s star and captain, walked in with hopes of steadying the ship, but he managed just 10 off 24 balls before Hardik Pandya bowled him in the 10.4th over. Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper, didn’t last long either, nicking one from Shardul Thakur to KL Rahul behind the stumps for just two runs. At 47/3 after 11.4 overs, Pakistan were in deep trouble. A brief rain break at 44/2 didn’t help, as Fakhar Zaman, who had hung around for 27 off 50 balls, fell to Kuldeep Yadav in the 19.2nd over, bowled by a beauty.
Kuldeep was the wrecker-in-chief, spinning a web around Pakistan’s batters. He struck again in the 23.6th over, trapping Salman Agha lbw for 23 off 32 balls. Pakistan reviewed, but it was the umpire’s call, and Salman had to go. Iftikhar Ahmed tried to fight back, scoring 23 off 35 balls, but Kuldeep got him too, caught and bowled in the 29.3rd over. Shadab Khan, known for his flair, could only manage six before holing out to Thakur off Kuldeep.
Faheem Ashraf scratched around for four runs before Kuldeep bowled him in the 31.6th over, completing a brilliant five-wicket haul (5/25 in eight overs). With Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah absent due to injuries, Shaheen Shah Afridi was left stranded on seven not out, and Pakistan’s innings ended at 128, with 17 extras (14 wides, three leg-byes) offering little comfort. India’s bowlers were relentless. Kuldeep’s spin was unplayable, with his five wickets coming at an economy of just 3.12.
Bumrah was superb, giving away only 18 runs in five overs while picking up one wicket. Pandya and Thakur each took a wicket, keeping things tight, while Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja bowled economically without taking wickets. Pakistan’s batters had no answer to the pressure, failing to build partnerships or show the fight needed for such a big chase. The early wickets hurt, and Kuldeep’s spell sealed their fate, as Pakistan suffered one of their worst ODI defeats.