Indian cricket fans couldn’t stop raving about the way Indian batsmen ‘bullied’ Pakistani bowling in the Asia Cup’s Super-4 clash in Sri Lanka’s Colombo.
“Out of nowhere, Team India unleashed their beast mode,” said an X user as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul slammed tons against a hapless Pakitani bowling.
Kohli scored an unbeaten 122 against 94 balls while Rahul hit 111 off 106 deliveries, taking Team India’s total to 356 for the loss of two wickets.
The contemporary legend’s love affair with R Premadasa Stadium continued as his unbeaten 122 off 94 balls was his fourth hundred on trot at this very venue. Kohli’s hundred did not overshadow Rahul, who raced to his sixth ODI hundred — a chiselled 106-ball-111 not out in a superb 233-run stand for the unconquered third wicket. The highly-rated Pakistan bowling attack lay in tatters and was hamstrung on the day due to absence of their fastest man Haris Rauf, who didn’t turn up due to an injury.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, considered to be India’s biggest threat was taken to the cleaners by India’s top four as he leaked 79 runs in his 10 overs. Overall, the Pakistani bowlers struggled to contain the opposition batters, who hit 37 boundaries and nine sixes in all.
India started the innings, which was suspended on Sunday because of rain, at 147 for two in 24.1 overs, as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill had given them early momentum with fifties.
