Kohli, Rahul fire as India thump Pakistan in Asia Cup

In a lopsided Asia Cup Super Four encounter in Colombo on Monday, India triumphed over arch-rivals Pakistan by a commanding margin of 228 runs. Virat Kohli achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 13,000 runs in one-day internationals on his way to scoring his 47th century, while KL Rahul made a triumphant return from injury by notching up a century.

Facing a daunting target of 357 runs for victory, Pakistan’s batsmen struggled to get going and managed to reach a total of only 128 runs. Notably, they were missing key players Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf due to injuries. India’s bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav with figures of 5-25, dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup after a brief rain delay, with Jasprit Bumrah removing Imam-ul-Haq and Hardik Pandya dismissing the dangerous Babar Azam.

India had reached a score of 147-2 in 24.1 overs the previous day, with half-centuries from captain Rohit Sharma (56) and opening batsman Shubman Gill (58). Due to rain, the match was extended to a reserve day, and the Indian batsmen continued to dominate, ultimately posting a total of 356-2 in 50 overs.

Rohit Sharma commented on the impressive batting performance, highlighting the adaptability of the team in dealing with interruptions. Kohli and Rahul, with their unbeaten partnership of 233 runs for the third wicket, set a record for the highest partnership in the Asia Cup.

Kohli praised their partnership, emphasizing their conventional style of play and their focus on building a substantial innings. Rahul, making a comeback after surgery for a quadriceps injury, displayed his prowess against spinners and reached his sixth century with a powerful display of shots.

Kohli achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the fastest player to reach 13,000 runs in one-day internationals. He celebrated his century with great enthusiasm, capping off the innings with a flourish by hitting Faheem Ashraf for boundaries and a massive six in the final over.

India, whose previous group encounter with Pakistan was abandoned due to rain, is scheduled to face Sri Lanka on Tuesday.