Ahmedabad 14 October 2023: India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the first meeting between the two sides in the World Cup in four years. The setting was the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with over 100,000 fans in attendance.
India, tasked with chasing Pakistan’s 192 (all out) fielded Rohit Sharma and Subman Gill as openers. The Sharma-Gill partnership saw India through the first few overs before being disrupted by Shaheen Afridi who claimed the scalp of Gill in the second over while Mohammad Nawaz ended Virat Kohli’s run at an unremarkable 16 off 18.
Rohit Sharma’s innings had a stabilising effect on the Indian batting order. He ended up making 86 off 63 deliveries, scoring six boundaries and six sixes before being caught by Iftikhar Ahmed off the bowling of Shaheen. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul carried India to victory scoring 53 and 19 respectively.
Shaheen claimed two wickets (Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma) and conceded 36 runs while Hasan Ali claimed one wicket (Virat Kohli) and conceded 34 runs.
Earlier, Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq had kicked off the innings with a promising start, making 20 off 24 and 36 off 38 respectively. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s partnership managed to clinch a collective score of 82 runs consolidating Pakistan’s tally at 155-2. Babar lost his wicket at the hands of Mohammed Siraj in the 30th over making 50 off 58 balls while Rizwan continued to play well into the 33rd over making 49 off 69 deliveries before being bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan’s middle-order failed to withhold India’s bowling pressure with Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz recording lackluster performances. All the Indian bowlers barring Shardul Thakur took two wickets each.
Scores in brief:
India beat Pakistan by seven wickets
Pakistan 191 all out in 42.5 overs (Babar Azam 50, Mohammad Rizwan 49; Jasprit Bumrah 2-19, Hardik Pandya 2-35, Kuldeep Yadav 2-35, Ravindra Jadeja 2-38)
India 192-3 in 30.3 overs (Rohit Sharma 86, Shreyas Iyer 53 not out; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-36, Hasan Ali 1-34)
Player of the match – Jasprit Bumrah (India)
