COLOMBO: Virat Kohli and returning K.L. Rahul hit unbeaten centuries to lead India’s 228-run thras­hing of rivals Pakistan in a lopsided rain-hit Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Monday’s reserve day.

Kohli (122) and Rahul (111) put together 233 runs as India reached 356-2. In reply, Pakistan was restri­cted to 128-8 in 32 overs, with injured bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah not turning out to bat.

Pakistan’s batsmen never really got going in Colombo as Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav (5-25) ripped thro­ugh the lineup foll­owing a brief rain interrup­tion after Jasprit Bumrah removed Imamul Haq and Hardik Pandya castled the dangerous Babar Azam.

India resumed on 147-2 after rain ended play early on Sunday and pushed the match into an additional day set aside by the organisers.

Rain again delayed the start on Monday, but no overs were lost and then the Kohli-Rahul pair roused the Indian fans at a largely empty stadium.

Rahul and Kohli’s unbeaten 233-run partnership for the third wicket was the highest stand in the Asia Cup.

Rahul, who returned from an injury lay-off, raised his bat to celebrate his hundred and was hugged by Kohli, who soon brought up his own ton after becoming the fifth batsman and the quickest to make 13,000 runs in the format.

Half-centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma (56) and fellow opener Shubman Gill (58) got India off to a good start on Sunday with a 121-run stand.

Kohli and Rahul saw off the threat of Pakistan’s pace attack, missing Haris due to a right flank problem, and the duo targeted the spinners on an improving wicket.

Rahul, returning to the side after surgery for a quadriceps injury in May, flexed his muscles against spinners Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan and stepped down the wicket to flick the latter for a massive six after getting his half-century.

India raised the tempo amid the threat of more showers and cruised to the 300-run mark in 45 overs before Rahul — who made the team due to Shreyas Iyer’s back issue — reached his sixth hundred and raised his bat like a sword.

Kohli celebrated his 47th century shortly afterwards, pumping his fists before raising his hands to huge roars at the R Premadasa Stadium.

He finished with a flourish, carting Faheem Ashraf for two fours — including one from a free hit — and a huge shot over the ropes at the end of the final over.

Pakistan were never in the chase after they lost two early wickets including skipper Babar bowled for 10 off an impressive in-swinger by Pandya.

Rain once again interrupted play but not the Indian momentum as the bowlers kept up their charge after resumption and Kuldeep sent back Mohammad Rizwan with his left-arm wrist spin.

Wickets kept tumbling and Kuldeep got three more to get into the Pakistan tail and then claimed his second ODI five-wicket haul.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

R. Sharma c Faheem b Shadab 56
S. Gill c Salman b Shaheen 58
V. Kohli not out 122
K.L. Rahul not out 111

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-8) 9
TOTAL (for two wickets, 50 overs) 356
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-121 (Sharma), 2-123(Gill)
DID NOT BAT: I. Kishan, H. Pandya, R. Jadeja, K. Yadav, S. Thakur, M. Siraj, J. Bumrah
BOWLING: Shaheen 10-0-79-1 (1w), Naseem 9.2-1-53-0 (1w), Faheem 10-0-74-0 (1nb), Haris 5-0-27-0 (2w), Shadab 10-1-71-1, Iftikhar 5.4-0-52-0

PAKISTAN:

Fakhar Zaman b Yadav 27
Imam ul-Haq c Gill b Bumrah 9
Babar Azam b Pandya 10
Mohammad Rizwan c Rahul b Thakur 2
Salman Ali Agha lbw Yadav 23
Iftikhar Ahmed c&b Yadav 23
Shadab Khan c Thakur b Yadav 6
Faheem Ashraf b Yadav 4
Shaheen Shah Afridi not out 7

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-14) 17
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 32 overs) 128
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-17 (Imam), 2-43 (Babar), 3-47 (Rizwan), 4-77 (Fakhar), 5-96 (Salman), 6-110 (Shadab), 7-119 (Iftikhar), 8-128 (Faheem)DID NOT BAT: Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
BOWLING: Bumrah 5-1-18-1 (2w), Siraj 5-0-23-0 (2w), Pandya 5-0-17-1 (1w), Thakur 4-0-16-1 (1w), Yadav 8-0-25-5, Jadeja 5-0-26-0
RESULT: India won by 228 runs.
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Virat Kohli

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2023