India and Pakistan faced off in their highly anticipated ODI World Cup 2023 match on October 13, 2023, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. The match was a sell-out, with over 100,000 fans in attendance. India won the toss and elected to bowl first.
The start for Pakistan’s batting lineup was not as good as it was expected because Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq lost their wicket at an early stage and Pakistan was down to 73/2.
However, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan staged a recovery, with both batsmen scoring half-centuries. The pair provided much-needed stability to the team and gained momentum at a steady pace.
However, Babar’s wicket, immediately after his 50, was the highlight of the game because, after that, Pakistan’s whole team fell like a house of cards.
India made a strong start to their chase, but Shubman Gill was unable to make an impact and lost his wicket at 16 runs.
However, skipper Rohit Sharma showcased his class and Virat Kohli supported him from the other end. One of the devastating moments was the loss of Kohli at a score of 16 runs but the higher strike rate of Rohit was an assurance.
Rohit Sharma continued to bat well and scored his half-century in the tournament. He was eventually dismissed for 86 off 63 balls, but India were well on their way to victory. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer added the required runs for the fourth wicket Iyer went on to score an unbeaten 53, as India reached the target with 19.3 overs to spar.
Domination of Indian Bowlers
The Indian bowlers were the show's stars for India in their victory over Pakistan. Bumrah, Siraj, and Pandya picked up two wickets each at an economy of 2.71, 6.25, and 5.67 respectively.
The spinners also played a crucial role as the spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets each at an economy of 3.50 and 3.86 respectively. Shardul Thakur failed to make an impact in the game and was unable to scalp any wickets.
India vs Pakistan – The Turning Point
The turning point of the India vs Pakistan match was the dismissal of Babar Azam in the 30th over by Mohammed Siraj. Azam was batting on 50 at the time, and Pakistan were well-placed at 155/3.
However, Azam's dismissal triggered a collapse, with Pakistan losing their last five wickets for just 34 runs. Kuldeep Yadav was the wrecker-in-chief, taking two primary wickets of Saud Shakeel and Ifthikar Ahmed in the space of just eight deliveries. The dismissal of Azam was crucial for India because he was the only Pakistani batsman who was looking threatening.
If Babar had scored more runs, Pakistan could have reached a higher score. Azam was the most experienced and talented batsman in the Pakistani lineup. With him at the crease, Pakistan would have been in control of the game.
With Azam's dismissal, Pakistan's innings lost momentum, and they were eventually bowled out for just 191. Azam was the most experienced and talented batsman in the Pakistani lineup. With him at the crease, Pakistan had a good chance of posting a big total.
Rohit Sharma and His Stunning Performance
Rohit Sharma was in brilliant form for India with the bat. He scored his 53rd half-century in the tournament, and he was the key to India's victory.
Rohit Sharma played some exquisite shots during his innings, and he was never in any trouble. His overall score was 86 off 63 balls at a strike rate of 136.51, including 6 fours and 6 maximums.
