Table of Contents
In the Super-4 match of the Asia Cup 2023, India and Pakistan faced off at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Due to rain interruptions on Sunday (September 10), the game spilled over into a reserve day on Monday (September 11), ultimately resulting in a one-sided contest where India dominated Pakistan comprehensively.
Kohli and Rahul’s spectacular performance and record-breaking feats
The Men in Blue were given the opportunity to bat first and produced a formidable total of 356/2 on the scoreboard, all thanks to exceptional centuries by Virat Kohli (122* off 94 balls) and KL Rahul (111* off 106 balls). Kohli exhibited his cricketing skills, securing his 47th ODI century while accumulating 122 runs from 94 deliveries, featuring nine fours and four sixes. The partnership between Kohli and Rahul forged an unbroken stand of 233 runs for the 3rd wicket, driving India to their final total of 356/2 in their allocated 50 overs.
Kohli’s exceptional innings also propelled him past the remarkable 13,000-run milestone in ODI cricket, making him just the second Indian to achieve this distinction after Sachin Tendulkar and the fifth cricketer worldwide to reach this landmark.
Also WATCH: Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s, IND vs PAK: Missed the LIVE action? WATCH the Full Match Highlights, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliance
Kohli’s outlook on consecutive ODI fixtures
After the game, Kohli shared that the idea of playing another match within 24 hours was running through his mind while he was at the crease against Pakistan in Colombo on Monday. It’s worth noting that India will play another Super Four encounter against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The Indian stalwart also emphasized that he had never experienced back-to-back ODI matches on consecutive days in his international career, highlighting the importance of having ample time for recovery between two games.
“It’s the first time I have done anything like this in 15 years of cricket. I was pushing for those runs and happy for it, but I was thinking I need to play at 3 pm tomorrow. Luckily, we are Test players, I’ve played over a 100 Tests so I know how to come back and play the next day. It was really humid out there, I’m 35 in November so I need to be taking care of that recovery as well,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation
India’s commanding win not only improved their net run-rate but also catapulted them to the summit of the Super-four points table. In contrast, Pakistan’s net run-rate took a hit, relegating them to the third position.
