Asia Cup 2023 top run-getters and wicket-takers after India vs Pakistan match (Updated) ft. Rohit Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav
After losing the toss, India was asked to bat first in good batting conditions against Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup Super 4 match. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were all guns blazing right from the first over. At the start, Gill looked off-color, giving a few chances to Pakistan fielders, who looked lost on the field.
With their counter-attacking approach, both openers reached their respective fifties before losing their wickets. With Virat Kohli and KL Rahul at the crease, heavy rain stopped the play, moving the game to the next day.
After a lot of hard work from Sri Lankan groundsmen, India resumed at 146/2 on the reserve day. Kohli and Rahul never looked back middling the ball, keeping Pakistan bowlers on the back foot.
Haris Rauf missed the action due to discomfort in the right flank. Shaheen Shah Afridi was on the receiving end with other bowlers leaking runs pretty badly. Rahul, making his comeback after a long gap, displayed his class and went on to smack century, scoring a 106-ball 111-run unbeaten knock.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli shifted to the fifth gear, bagging his 77th international century. In the last over against Faheem Ashraf, Kohli went berserk, ending unbeaten on 122 off 94 balls. The 233-run third wicket partnership took India to 356/2 in 50 overs, making it their highest ODI score over arch-rivals.
Coming to the chase, Jasprit Bumrah looked menacing with his off-cutters and seam movement. He was successful in sending back Imam-ul-Haq off an outside edge caught at the second slip by Gill. Later, Babar Azam followed the suit, off Hardik Pandya's unplayable in-dipper.
Surprisingly, the Pakistan skipper took 11 balls to get off the mark, getting out for 10 off 24 balls. After a short rain break, Mohammad Rizwan was sent back to the pavilion off Shardul Thakur’s fourth stump line, giving a catch behind the wicket.
After a brief lull, Fakhar Zaman was sent back off a straight delivery against Kuldeep Yadav for 27 runs off 50 balls. Kuldeep continued to display his dominance, making the opposition batters dance to his tunes, picking a fifer.
In the end, Pakistan was reduced to 128/8 in 32 overs. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah haven’t come out to bat due to injury concerns, losing the game by 228 runs.
Asia Cup 2023 Most Runs List
Najmul Hossain Shanto continues to lead the Asia Cup run-scoring chart despite being ruled out of the competition due to a hamstring injury sistained during his match against Afghanistan. He is closely followed by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam with 178 runs from three innings.
Sri Lankan keeper Sadeera Samarawickrama is currently occupying the third position with 150 runs. His colleague Kusal Mendis settled with the fourth rank, amassing 147 runs from three innings. Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan settled with the fifth slot, accumulating 145 runs.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and his partner in crime Shubman Gill bagged sixth and seventh spots, racking up 141 and 135 runs respectively. Virat Kohli is holding the ninth spot after his unbeaten century.
Asia Cup 2023 Most Wickets List
Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf maintained his top spot on the Asia Cup wickets tally, having scalped nine wickets. Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed settled with the second rank, also with nine scalps. Lankan emerging pacer Matheesha Pathirana is at the third spot, bagging eight scalps.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was at the receiving end against India, occupied the fourth position after bagging the wicket of Rohit Sharma. Shoriful Islam is the fifth leading wicket-taker with seven scalps to his name. Kuldeep Yadav propelled to the eighth spot, scalping five wickets.