Expectations were high for Virat Kohli in the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match in Pallekele on Saturday. However, he didn’t perform as anticipated. The game was ultimately abandoned without a ball being bowled in Pakistan’s innings.
India faced a tough situation when their innings ended with a score of 266. Apart from Ishan Kishan (82) and Hardik Pandya (87), no other batsmen managed to make significant runs. Virat Kohli (4) and Rohit Sharma (11) were the biggest letdowns.
Virat Kohli did start his innings with a four, showcasing a fantastic cover drive against Naseem Shah. Unfortunately, his time at the crease was brief. Shaheen Afridi, who had already dismissed Rohit Sharma, also took Kohli’s wicket in the seventh over.
In the seventh over, bowled by Afridi, Virat Kohli unintentionally hit the stumps with the third ball. The commentators on Star Sports had different reactions to Kohli’s dismissal. Waqar Younis and Matthew Hayden saw it as an ‘unlucky’ way to get out, but Gautam Gambhir had a harsher perspective.
Gambhir commented, “That was a nothing shot, neither forward, nor back. I think it was a bit casual. That’s what you get when you play someone like Shaheen Afridi. You don’t know whether to go forward or back.”
Waqar Younis, the Pakistan pace legend, praised Shaheen Afridi for changing the length of his delivery, contributing to Kohli’s dismissal.
Meanwhile, winning the toss, the Indian cricket team was reduced to 4 wickets for just 66 runs. But then it was Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya who rescued to the Indian team to post 266 runs on the board.
The Pakistan team never got the opportunity to bat in their inning. Persistent rain in Pallakele ensured that the points be shared between the Indian cricket team and the Pakistan cricket team. While Pakistani qualified for the Super Four round, team India will play against Nepal on the 4th September.
