India produced a dominant performance to crush arch-rivals Pakistan by 228 runs in their Super 4 match of the Asia Cup in Colombo on Monday.
Virat Kohli (122*) and KL Rahul (111*) scored centuries for India, who posted a massive 356-2 in their 50 overs. Kuldeep Yadav then took 5-25 as Pakistan were bowled out for 128 in 33.1 overs.
The win was India’s biggest in terms of runs against Pakistan in ODIs. It also helped them top the Super Four standings on superior Net Run Rate (NRR).
Kohli and Rahul put on a 209-run partnership for the second wicket to lay the foundation for India’s big total. Kohli scored his 43rd ODI century, while Rahul struck his 11th ODI fifty.
The duo batted with great maturity and rotated the strike well. They also took advantage of the short boundaries at the R Premadasa Stadium.
Kuldeep Yadav then turned the screw in the middle overs. He dismissed Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz to derail Pakistan’s chase.
Mohammad Hafeez top-scored for Pakistan with 42, but it was not enough as they were bowled out for their lowest total in Asia Cup history.
The win was a major boost for India, who will now face Sri Lanka in their next Super Four match on Wednesday.
Key Takeaways
- India produced a clinical performance to crush Pakistan by 228 runs.
- Virat Kohli and KL Rahul scored centuries for India, while Kuldeep Yadav took a fifer.
- The win was India’s biggest in terms of runs against Pakistan in ODIs.
- India top the Super Four standings on superior Net Run Rate (NRR).
Analysis
India’s win was built on the back of a brilliant batting performance from Kohli and Rahul. The duo put on a masterclass in run-scoring, and their partnership was the cornerstone of India’s total.
Kuldeep Yadav was also impressive with the ball. He bowled with great control and took wickets at regular intervals. His performance was a major factor in Pakistan’s collapse.
Pakistan’s batting was a major disappointment. They never got going and were bowled out for their lowest total in Asia Cup history.
The loss will be a major blow to Pakistan’s hopes of winning the tournament. They will need to improve their batting significantly if they are to challenge for the title.
Overall, it was a comprehensive win for India. They were the better team on the day and deserved to win.
