Cricket world cup 2023: Bolt from the men in blue

Gaurav Kanthwal

Ahmedabad, October 14

Nothing unusual in India-Pakistan ODI World Cup matches ending up as a damp squib. It happens all the time. A month of hype and hoopla, a cocktail of jingoism and bonhomie and a burden of expectations — all this comes undone in the end. An odd flare-up here or there may make the sparks fly once in a while, but fireworks are always missing.

This time also it was no different. India outplayed Pakistan by seven wickets with more than 19 overs remaining as Shreyas Iyer (53 not out) and KL Rahul (19 not out) finished the job started by captain Rohit Sharma (86).

Pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali bagged the prized wickets of Shubman Gill (16) and Virat Kohli (16), respectively, but with the target being a measly 192, Rohit (86 off 63 balls) ensured India did not have to break sweat. Beginning with a boundary off Afridi on the first ball of the innings, Rohit’s six sixes and six fours punctured all hopes of an already deflated Pakistan side after a disappointing batting show.

Restricting them to 190 was a great effort. It was not a 190 pitch. At one stage we were looking at 280 or 290. Whoever gets the ball does the job for the team. We have got six individuals who can do the job. — Rohit Sharma, India captain

It felt good. You get to analyse the wicket as soon as possible. We knew the wicket was on the slower side so the hard lengths were the way. We were trying to make it as difficult as possible for the batters. Just the awareness helps. — Jasprit Bumrah, Player of the Match

We started well, good partnership. We just planned to play normal cricket and build partnerships. Suddenly there was a collapse and we could not finish well. Not good for us, the way we started, our target was 280-290 but the collapse cost us. — Babar Azam, Pakistan captain

The India captain toyed with Pakistan’s bowlers as he pulled Afridi for a six, danced down the wicket for a maximum off Mohammed Nawaz, and thumped Haris Rauf twice over covers during the Powerplay. Rohit’s mighty pull over square-leg off Rauf in the 15th over was the best shot of the India innings. It was not the best of the days for the Pakistan bowling department, especially, defending a small total. Their quest for wickets to take away the momentum from India’s batsmen was met with nonchalance even though Gill and Kohli had departed early. However, it did not turn out as planned after the Babar Azam-led team was asked to bat first in a rather unexpected move by Rohit. Pakistan had a start-stop opening to their innings, with Imam-ul-Haq (36) and Abdullah Shafique (20) failing to make it big.

Just when captain Babar (50 off 58b, 7×4) was warming up for a big innings after his half-century — his first against India in seven innings — Mohammed Siraj clean-bowled him in the 30th over. The No. 3 batsman’s dismissal was brought about by a short-of-length, angling delivery that kept low and hit the stumps. Babar’s innings included a straight drive followed by his trademark cover-drive off Shardul Thakur’s loosener outside off. The 28-year-old survived an lbw review decision off a Kuldeep Yadav delivery, and a half chance at short midwicket by Hardik Pandya off Siraj.

Player of the Match Jasprit Bumrah outmanoeuvred Mohammad Rizwan (49; 69b 7×4) with a slow off-cutter to rattle his stumps, sending the man in a menacing form back. The highlight of Rizwan’s innings were two consecutive fours off Ravindra Jadeja — one nutmegging wicketkeeper KL Rahul and the other a meaty hit on the up in the 25th over. But just as Babar’s cover drives were hard to come by, Rizwan’s sweeps remained under check.

Not only did the Pakistan team refrain from attacking the Indian bowlers too much, they also looked short of ideas. “We knew the wicket was on the slower side, so the hard lengths were the way,” Bumrah said. “We were trying to make it as difficult as possible for the batter.”

On the slow off-cutter that got Rizwan, Bumrah said, “I saw Ravindra Jadeja’s ball was turning, so I count my slower ball as a spinner’s slower ball. I thought that I can make the run-scoring tough, and it worked.”

Once Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for just 36 runs to post 191 in 42.5 overs, the game was all but lost.

8 Pakistan lost 8 wickets for just 36 runs between the 30th and 43rd overs

191 Pakistan were bundled out for 191 in 42.5 overs — their second-lowest score against India in the World Cup, after 180 in 1999