India maintained its perfect winning record over Pakistan after it trashed the arch-rival by 89 runs (D/L) in an ICC World Cup 2019 league match in Manchester on Sunday.
Batting first, India scored a mammoth 336/5 in its 50 overs with Rohit Sharma scoring a sublime century. In reply, Pakistan could only muster 212/6.
Here are the five key moments from the match.
1. K.L. Rahul and Rohit Sharma's opening partnership
Partnering for the first time in ODI cricket at the top of the order, Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul took the attack to Pakistan in the first hour. The duo took their time out in the middle and once they got their eye in, they flayed the Pakistan bowling attack to all corners of the ground. The opening partnership of 136 in 23.5 overs is India's first century partnership for the opening wicket against Pakistan in World Cups.
2. Virat Kohli's half century
Once India lost its first wicket, Virat Kohli provided the much needed support to Rohit Sharma as India consolidated in the middle overs. It was important for Kohli to hold fort as it allowed Rohit to play his natural game and it also helped India build a strong foundation for a mammoth total.
3. Vijay Shankar's first-ball wicket
Bowling with the new ball in the first half-hour of play can be intimidating, especially when a mainstay walks away injured. Stepping into Bhuvneshwar Kumar's shoes (who walked out injured after landing awkwardly on his follow through), Vijay Shankar did a commendable job on his debut to trap Imam-ul-Haq LBW in the first ball he bowled. The early wicket jolted Pakistan a bit but it also had India brimming with confidence.
4. Kuldeep Yadav's ball to dismiss Babar Azam
After the early wicket, Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam added 104 runs for the second wicket and just when the Pakistan duo looked threatening Kuldeep Yadav gave the decisive blow by castling Azam with a peach of a delivery. Kuldeep tossed one up around off the off stump and with a sharp spin on offer, Azam, looking to defend, could only manage an inside edge and ball hit the timber.
Infact, if the rain had come in then and match would have been called off, Pakistan could have won as it was ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par score at that point.
Two overs later, Kuldeep removed Fakhar Zaman as Pakistan lost its set batsmen in the space of eight balls.
5. Hardik Pandya's two wickets in two balls
The twin strikes dented Pakistan's progress and Hardik Pandya further added misery for Pakistan when he sent Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in two balls. While Hafeez well-timed a flick to Vijay Shankar at deep square leg, Shoaib looked all at bay and chopped the next ball onto his stumps as Pakistan slipped from 117/1 to 129/5.
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