Ahmedabad, India — In a highly anticipated ICC World Cup 2023 showdown at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Indian bowlers displayed a magnificent performance, leaving Pakistan struggling with a modest total. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and chose to bowl, setting the stage for an exciting encounter.
Pakistan’s opening duo, Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, got off to a steady start, amassing 41 runs for the first wicket. The breakthrough for India came from Mohammed Siraj, who claimed Shafique’s wicket, dismissing him LBW for 20. Shortly after, Imam-ul-Haq was caught-behind for 36, courtesy of Hardik Pandya.
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However, Pakistan’s renowned pair, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, took charge and guided their team past the 150-run mark. India found it challenging to break this partnership. Just when it seemed like Pakistan was on course for a substantial total, the team encountered a middle-order collapse ignited by the brilliance of Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah.
The turning point was when Siraj bowled out Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, for a well-earned 50, bringing an end to their 82-run partnership for the third wicket. Subsequently, the following batsmen struggled to withstand the relentless Indian bowling attack, which combined spin and pace seamlessly.
Kuldeep Yadav further disrupted Pakistan’s progress by dismissing Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed for single-digit scores, leaving Pakistan five wickets down with just 166 runs on the scoreboard. The procession of wickets continued as Jasprit Bumrah, one of India’s premier fast bowlers, dismissed the in-form Rizwan for 49. Bumrah also added another wicket to his tally by dismissing Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s star all-rounder, for a mere 2 runs.
Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja joined forces to claim the final three wickets, completing Pakistan’s innings in 42.5 overs.
In terms of the Indian bowlers’ performances, all of them, except Shardul Thakur, contributed with two wickets each. Thakur was utilized for only two overs, conceding 12 runs during his spell.
Kuldeep Yadav, reflecting on his performance, mentioned, “The wicket was a bit slow. We were focusing on the length. They were not attacking too much, so I was just focusing on my pace and my variations.”
With Pakistan posting a total of 191, the stage is set for an exciting run chase, as India looks to secure a crucial victory in the ICC World Cup 2023.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on the match’s live updates and statements from the players during the mid-innings break.)
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