In a highly anticipated clash at Narendra Modi Stadium, India delivered a resounding victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, maintaining their flawless record in the ICC World Cup. The feverish atmosphere in Ahmedabad set the stage for an enthralling contest, and India took control early by dismissing Pakistan for 191 within 43 overs.
“Babar Azam (50) and Mohammad Rizwan (49) seemed to put Pakistan on a competitive path, and we believed a total of 300 was within reach,” said an onlooker. However, the Pakistani batting order crumbled, failing to complete their allotted 50 overs.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, with a stunning 86, led the chase, ensuring India reached the target in just 30.3 overs. “This victory maintains our unbeaten record against Pakistan in World Cup history,” Rohit proudly remarked. In this tournament, India and New Zealand stand as the only two teams to win their first three matches, delighting the 100,000-plus crowd in attendance.
Although India entered the match with a perfect 7-0 record against Pakistan, the early stages showed no signs of Pakistan’s eventual collapse. Imam-ul-Haq (36) and Abdullah Shafique (20) started strongly for Pakistan, but wickets fell at crucial junctures. Babar and Rizwan’s partnership seemed promising at 155/2 in the 30th over, but a sudden collapse saw Pakistan lose eight wickets for just 36 runs.
On the bowling front, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah played pivotal roles, while Kuldeep Yadav wreaked havoc in the middle order with a crucial two-wicket over.
Rohit Sharma set the tone for India’s chase with his aggressive approach. Shubman Gill made a quick 16 before a stunning catch by Shadab Khan sent him back. Rohit, however, continued his onslaught with powerful shots and reached his half-century in just 36 deliveries.
A second consecutive century seemed possible, but Rohit fell prey to Shaheen Afridi’s slow off-cutter. Shreyas Iyer then stepped up, finishing with an unbeaten 53 to seal India’s victory. The thrilling contest left cricket fans on the edge of their seats and reaffirmed India’s dominance over Pakistan in the ICC World Cup.
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