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The cricketing world witnessed a thrilling and highly anticipated showdown when Team India faced arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. The iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosted a clash that left fans at the edge of their seats.
India exhibited a flawless performance that showcased their cricketing prowess in every facet of the game. Whether it was their batting, bowling or fielding, the Men in Blue left no room for doubt about their supremacy on the field. This all-round show ensured a resounding victory against Pakistan.
The Narendra Modi Stadium provided ideal batting conditions, and Pakistan’s innings showed promise. For a brief moment, it seemed as though they were on track to build a competitive total. After 30 overs, Pakistan were looking set at 155 with 8 wickets in hand.
Dramatic batting collapse
Pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan formed a decent partnership for the third wicket. However, things went south for the Men in Green soon after the dismissal of Babar. Pakistan’s batting unit witnessed a dramatic collapse and crumbled like a pack of cards. From 155/2 at one stage, they got bundled out for just 191 in 42.5 overs.
The Indian bowlers unleashed a breathtaking performance, with every bowler, except Shardul Thakur, bagging two wickets each. India’s frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the stand out performer as he picked up two scalps while conceding a mere 19 runs in his 7 overs, including a maiden.
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Nasser Hussain offers insights into Pakistan’s batting collapse
Following the game, former England captain Nasser Hussain, who is currently a broadcaster, shared his assessment over Pakistan’s batting collapse. He highlighted that Pakistan have a tendency to experience dramatic and unexpected batting collapses.
“It’s a collapse that only the Pakistani team can manufacture it. very up and down side which is “levelling off a little bit” under captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan,” said Nasser during the commentary.
Nasser implied that Babar and Rizwan prioritize preserving their wickets early in the innings to ensure stability. However, this strategy might have led Pakistan to set overly ambitious targets for themselves in the match. Nasser reckoned that by attempting to aim for a very high total, they might have put undue pressure on their batting lineup, especially the middle order, which may have contributed to the significant batting collapse seen in the game.
“I often think that it is why Babar and Rizwan bat the way they do because they still feel 50 overs is a long time. But looking at the middle order, they had a few bit of success in the tournament. I think they set their target too high,” added Nasser.
