India on Sunday defeated Pakistan comfortably by 89 runs with Rohit Sharma, skipper Virat Kohli and KL Rahul shining with the bat. Today’s Man Of The Match Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant 140 runs and laid the foundation for his side’s remarkable win over Pakistan. Kohli contributed with a quickfire 77, while Rahul too joined the party with 57 runs.
Pakistan’s response was extremely disappointing as they lost Inam-ul-Haq cheaply when their total was just 13. This considerably slowed down the team’s run chase as Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman made desperate efforts to build their innings. The two added 104 runs for the second wicket until Azam gave away his wicket to Kuldeep Yadav at 48. Zaman too could not stay longer as Yadav scalped his wicket for 62 when the Pakistan’s total was just 126.
Hardik Pandya was brought in to bowl in the 27th over and he struck two wickets in as many deliveries, sending the danger man Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik back to the pavillion. Rain stopped play when Pakistan’s total was 165 for six. When play resumed, their revised target became 321 runs in 40 overs. Pakistan needed to score 130 runs in just five overs.
In the end they could only score 212 for six in 40 overs.
Today’s match saw Kohli create history as he became the fastest cricketer to reach 11,000 runs in One Day International cricket. Rohit Sharma too became the second highest scorer in the ongoing competition by dislodging David Warner of Australia.
Today’s win against Pakistan meant that India has defeated their arch-rivals in all seven World Cup encounters played till date.
Earlier, Pakistani skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed came under fire after he defied his country’s prime minister and former World Cup winning player, Imran Khan, who had asked him to bat first after winning the toss. Instead, he elected to bowl first, a decision that proved extremely costly for his side.