Babar Azam was dismissed by Hardik Pandya during the Asia Cup 2023 match© X (formerly Twitter)
Hardik Pandya came up with a brilliant delivery to get rid of Babar Azam during the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match between India and Pakistan on Monday. Babar looked extremely uncomfortable against the swing bowling of Jasprit Bumrah but it was Pandya who ended his stay at the crease. In the 10th over of the Pakistan innings, Pandya was able to produce a sharp in-swinging delivery that went right through Babar’s defense and crashed into the stumps. Babar could only manage to score 10 runs off 24 deliveries and he was left visibly dumbstruck by the ball that Pandya produced for the wicket.
Virat Kohli returned to his record-breaking ways with his 47th ODI ton while KL Rahul dispelled all doubts over his fitness with a scintillating hundred and powered India to a mammoth 356 for 2 against a hapless Pakistan.
Kohli also became the fastest to reach 13,000 runs in the format as he closed down on Sachin Tendulkar‘s world record 49 ODI centuries.
Pakistan lose their main man Babar Azam…
A long way back for them now. #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/9qLUnJKBzs
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) September 11, 2023
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.
(With PTI inputs)
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