Asia Cup 2023: India produced a complete display on all fronts to thump Pakistan by 228 runs in the super fours encounter here at Colombo. India put in a masterful batting display, posting a formidable 356/2 with virtuouso centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. In reply, Pakistan never really got going as Bumrah, Siraj, Hardik, and Shardul and Kuldeep hunted in packs to skittle them out for 128. With Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah unable to bat due to their respective injuries, Pakistan’s innings finished at 128/8.
Asia Cup 2023: Here are the talking points from the game!!
1. KL’s comeback
In a parallel universe, Shreyas Iyer doesn’t have back spasm 5 minutes before the toss, and KL Rahul is not drafted into the side at the last minute. But as date would have it, Iyer indeed pulled up before the game and Rahul got into the side. And it was a baptism by fire indeed. Playing his first game in 6 months and walking in at a time when Pakistan just about got a foothold in the game by dismissing both the openers.
He showed his fitness by running relentlessly and rotating the strike, but his fluency while batting was in full flow as he unfurled his range of strokes which he pulls out when he is in full flow. He was particularly brutal on Shadab and Iftikhar by cutting and sweeping them mercilessly. And with this comeback ton, he has more or less secured his spot in the middle order ahead of Ishan Kishan.
2. Kohli’s supremacy in Asia Cup 2023
It seems like Virat Kohli is on a collision course with breaking a new record every time he comes out to bat. Yesterday, his physical fitness was on full fitness as he dropped anchor when KL Rahul was the aggressor. He kept pushing the ball in gaps and ran with such ferocity that he was scoring at a strike rate of 90 despite scoring only 2 boundaries in his first 50 runs.
However, once he crossed 50, he unleashed absolute mayhem on a hamstrung Pakistan attack that was already missing Haris Rauf. Out came the drives, the pulls, and the majestic drive that Ian Smith famously called “the shot of an emperor”. Kohli now has 5 ODI centuries in 21 innings in 2023 and with the way he’s going, he can definitely score more.
3. World’s best pace attack falters
In the first game between the two sides, Pakistan’s pace attack asserted their dominance by taking all ten wickets. This time around it was India who sent them out on a leather hunt. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi never really got their lengths right on a pitch that had something for the bowlers right from the off. Naseem did bowl brilliantly at the start without any luck but even he wasn’t spared towards the end. It felt like Pakistan had no idea what to do when their pacers are not able to take any wickets in the Powerplay. This has to change fast or else Pakistan will be in trouble.
4. Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav show their class
Playing in his first Odi since July 2022, all eyes were on Bumrah as he lined up to bowl the first over with the new ball. And boy he didn’t disappoint. On a pitch with enough purchase for the seamers, Bumrah absolutely tormented the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Imam up Haq with a constant barrage of inswingers and outswingers and bowled the classic test match length to dismiss Imam by getting him caught on the slips. He bowled only 5 overs, but it was enough evidence to prove that he is back with a bang.
On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav took 5 wickets to end the game quickly. It was a match that was already in Team India’s favour. However, with Yadav taking those quick wickets, the performance became a dominating one. And it was India’s biggest wins ever over Pakistan (228 runs). What a brilliant all-round performance!!
5. Tough road for Pakistan
Just a couple of days ago, there was talk of how Pakistan are actually favorites to go ahead and win the Asia Cup. Fast forward now, and it does not seem as rosy as it was a couple of days ago. After receiving the shellacking that they got from India, their NRR has crashed to -1.8, which is even poorer than Bangladesh.
However what is even more concerning for them is that Rauf and Naseem Shah are huge doubts to play in the Asia Cup, with both almost certain to miss the potential must win game vs Sri Lanka. With not a lot of options on the bench, Pakistan could face an uphill battle to make the finals on the 17th.
