ODI World Cup 2023, India vs Pakistan, highlights: India beat Pakistan by 7 wickets

Speaking after being awarded the Players of the Match award, Jasprit Bumrah says: "It felt good. Usually you try to analyze the wicket as soon as possible. We recognized the wicket was on the slower side so we wanted to bowl those hard lengths to make it difficult. We then felt it would reverse a little with the old ball."

Quizzed on how does he succeed on different pitches, Bumrah says: "Just being aware - when I was young I used to ask a lot of questions. I think that helps me now. Now I am able to read different wickets. That helped me develop a lot of knowledge and that helps you sometimes to read the wicket and try a lot of options.

On the slower one to Rizwan: "We were bowling in the middle and I saw Jaddu's ball turned a little bit. I count my slower ball as a spinner's slower ball as well so I felt it could be a useful option. I tried to use that and it gripped - one of those days. There was a little phase where there was reverse swing. It was not a leg-cutter (to dismiss Shadab) - it was the outswinger I was looking to bowl."

"One of the rare occasions where the white ball was reversing. I've seen him (Waqar Younis) and Wasim Akram bowl some magical deliveries as a youngster. If he's praising it's a special praise for me."

India complete the demolition job. Beat Pakistan by 7 wickets with 19 overs to spare. Shreyas Iyer dances down the track and slams the ball downtown for a boundary. India remain 8-0 against Pakistan in World Cup encounters. 

Rohit Sharma departs 14 short of a well-deserved century. Shaheen bowls a slower delivery on middle and off as Rohit drags his shot straight to short midwicket. 

Rohit c Iftikhar Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 86(63)

KL Rahul walks out to replace the skipper

Pakistan bowlers appear out of ideas as India comfortably coast to victory. Men-in-Blue India require 50 runs in 20 overs with Rohit Sharma on 80.  

Rohit Sharma continues to go after Haris Rauf as he smokes one behind square for another humongous SIX.

India: 111/2 after 15 overs, need 81 runs in 35 overs  

Rohit has continued his impressive run as he brings another 50 in the World Cup. 

India: 101/2 in 14 overs

Virat after a bright start has fallen to Hasan Ali on 16 as India lose their second wicket. 

India: 79/2 in 10 overs

Virat, Rohit have put Pakistan on backfoot as India are in mode with the bat here in Ahmedabad.  

India: 78/1 in 9 overs

India reach 50 after a vibrant start as they look to stamp their authority on the contest.    

India: 54/1 in 7 overs
 

Virat Kohli will look to produce another fine performacne against Pakistan as he joins Rohit Sharma in the middle.   

India: 39/1 in 5.3 overs

Shubman Gill made a positive start but have lost Shubman Gill for 16. Afridi stikes blow for the Men in Blue.  

India: 23/1 in 3 overs

Shubman Gill for the first time in World Cup and Rohit Sharma start the Indian innings at the Narendra Modi Satdium. 

India: 4/0 in 0.1 overs

The Indian Team wrapped up Pakistan's innings on 191 inside the 43rd over, with each bowler, barring Shardul Thakur, picking two wickets each. For India to claim their third victory in World Cup 2023, they need 192 runs to win.

Hardik Pandya picked his first wicket of the day, removing Mohammad Nawaz, caught by Bumrah on four. Pakistan's scorecard read 187/8 inside 40 overs.

Ace Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah picked his second wicket of the day by bamboozling Shadab Khan on two, as Pakistan's scorecard reads 171 for seven. 

Pakistan is in deep trouble, as their last in-form batter, Muhammad Rizwan, got out on 49, clean bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. Pakistan are 168 for six.

The left-arm unorthodox spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked his second wicket in the same over, this time removing Iftikhar clean bowled on four. Pakistan is in trouble, 166 for five in 33 overs.

Mohammed Siraj has got his second wicket of the day, removing Pakistan skipper Babar Azam bowled on 50. Pakistan are 156 for three in 30 overs.

Pakistan Captain Babar Azam kept his best for the game against India, completing his first fifty of this tournament in the 29th over.

50 stand between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and Pak score 125 in half the overs of allotted quota. The partnership must be broken else India would soon be looking at short end of the stick.

Pakistan: 125/2 in 25 overs

Solid batting by both Babar and Rizwan as they look to build Pak innings. The Men in Green have crossed 100 runs the duo on the crease look good for many more. Important passage of play coming up.

Pakistan: 103/2 in 20 overs

So India win the passage of five overs from 11-15 with Hardik Pandya taking out Imam. But Pakistan have done well by scoring a fiver runs per over and with their two main batsmen, Babar and Rizwan, on the crease, this will be crucial for both teams.

Pakistan: 79/2 in 15 overs

Another wicket falls for Pakistan as Hardik Pandya strikes. He was for a four on the previous ball but bowls this one a bit fuller and outside off, Imam chase it only to get an edge which Rahul collects brilliantly behind the wickets.

Imam-ul-Haq c Rahul b Pandya 36

Pakistan: 73/2 in 12.3 overs

So after the first 10 overs, India and Pakistan both share the honours with Pak scoring around 50 and India taking a wicket. The game is set up nicely to turn out a blockbuster just like we hope!

Pakistan: 49/1 in 10 overs

Siraj draws first blood as Pakistan lose first wicket. Length ball, angling in, Shafique was caught plumb in front of the wicket.

Abdullah Shafique lbw b Mohammed Siraj 20

Pakistan: 41/1 in 8 overs

After getting hit for four fours in the first two overs, three to Siraj in his first over, Bumrah has done well on the other end, giving away nothing.

Pakistan, nonetheless, have a modest start and more importantly, haven't lost a wicket yet after the first five overs.

Pakistan: 23/0 in 5 overs.

Brilliant first two overs as they score four boundaries and three of them came in Mohammed Siraj's over by Imam ul Haq.

For sure, R Ashwin will sit out given how Ahmedabad track has worked so far. Either Shardul Thakur will continue to play and give that much-needed batting depth or India will bring in Md Shami. Remember, Shami has an exceptional record at the venue playing for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL.

1) Indian captain Rohit Sharma has hit 23 sixes in the PowerPlay in ODIs played in 2023. Pakistan have hit none.

2) Virat has been dismissed for a sub-50 score only once in eight World Cup [ODI + T20] games against the Men in Green. Safe to say, he loves playing against the Asian neighbours.

Will India's big guns fire once again today???

India's probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan/Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Pakistan's probable XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
 

A hot and humid day on the cards. The team fielding first can take respite from the fact that dew is expected to play a role and assist their chase later on. On the eve of the match day, the pitch seemed like a black soil one with a slight green tinge left to help with the binding. If it is anywhere like the surface for the tournament-opener, expect a high-scoring affair with the team batting first eyeing over 330 for security. Under 300 might be chased very easily. 

Ahead of the match, Rohit provided a massive update on whether Gill will play. At the pre-match presser, Hitman stated that Gill is "99 per cent" available for selection for humongous tie after missing India's opening two games for being down with dengue.

"I didn't get the captaincy because of a match and I will not lose it because of a match." - Babar Azam, at the pre-match presser, stated that he is not worried about his position being defined by one game.

The D-day has arrived. India meet Pakistan in match 12 as both sides resume their World Cup rivalry on Saturday (Oct 14). Before the match, some live performances will be carried out by notable names from the Hindi film fraternity before the focus shifts to the action on the 22-yard cricket strip.

A blockbuster tie is on cards in the CWC 2023 edition as match 12 sees arch-rivals India lock horns with Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. Who is winning this folks???