Rohit\, Kuldeep ensure India maintain clean slate against Pakistan in World Cup

Rohit, Kuldeep ensure India maintain clean slate against Pakistan in World Cup

Press Trust of India  |  Manchester 

produced an elegant hundred before Yadav flummoxed the Pakistani batsmen as inflicted a humiliating 89-run defeat on their arch-rivals in a much-hyped match, which eventually turned to be a lop-sided affair.

When play resumed, the match was reduced to 40 overs with a revised target of 302, which meant that required 136 runs from five overs.

(46) and Shadab Khan (20) remained unbeaten to end at 212 for six, handing a comprehensive victory via Duckworth Lewis method.

If Rohit pummelled a pedestrian attack with a brilliant 140 off 113 balls in India's 336 for five, Chinaman Yadav (2/32) broke the rival batting spine by removing set batsmen (62) and (48) in successive overs.

The Indian scored his 24th ODI hundred - 140 off 113 balls while KL Rahul (57) played the perfect second fiddle in an opening partnership of 137 runs.

Virat Kohli switched gears effortlessly during his 77 off 65 balls and also became the quickest to 11,000 ODI runs, eclipsing a 17-year record held by iconic

This is India's seventh win over Pakistan in and like the previous six times, the quality of the contest did not live up to the hype created.

Pakistan erred in his decision making throughout, first with team selection and then by opting to fieldf. The defensive approach throughout the game, also did not help his side.

Knowing that rain could play spoilsport, they never took the Duckworth-Lewis par score into account, letting bowlers dictate the terms.

It was a match where two wrists -- Rohit's supple wrists and Kuldeep's power -- won it for India.

The old adage Revenge is a dish best served cold' couldn't have been more apt in cold and wet evening as 'Men In Blue' exacted the revenge of final defeat.

The first half was all about Rohit pulverising Pakistani bowlers with and pulls while the second belonged to Yadav, who first bamboozled Babar with a break-back delivery and then forced Zaman to play a suicidal paddle shot.

This was after their 104 run-stand as Pakistan from 117 for 1 slumped to 129 for 5 in no time and their fans started trudging out of Old Trafford ground.

(2/44) did prove his all-round worth by removing the two veterans (9) and (0) off successive deliveries ensuring that Bhuvneshwar Kumar's hobbling out due to stiff hamstring does not affect them at all.

Earlier, Despite heavy rains and overcast conditions during past few days, the pitch had very little moisture and turned out to be a batting beauty which Rohit and the other Indian batsmen exploited to the fullest.

(3/47) pitched the ball up and maintained discipline despite a couple of official 'warnings' for running onto the pitch while (1/71) and (1/84) bowled short consistently.

Courtesy Amir, Pakistan did make a comeback in the final few overs as India managed only 38 runs in the final five overs. (15 off 15 balls) struggled with his timing, failing to read Amir's cutters.

The strategy to field two spinners -- (0/49) and leg-spinner Shadab Khan (0/61) -- didn't work for Pakistan. Their veteran part-timers and bowled one over each.

Pakistan bowlers bowled full length balls, which worked to Rohit's strength as he played two shots - pull and cut during his innings that had 14 boundaries and three sixes.

Unlike final, the Indians were positive from the start. Rahul pulled Amir for a boundary and then Rohit creamed off runs from

Rohit also treated the fans with some deft late cuts, back and upper and the occasional slog over deep mid-wicket.

When Riaz came to bowl, he erred both in line and length as his strategy to pepper the Indian batsmen with short pitch stuff backfired. He lost rhythm after getting a warning for stepping onto the dangerous area' and had to come round the wicket.

The only time he looked good was when he bowled full slower delivery to Rahul, who lobbed it to the

scored 26 off 19 balls during his hit and miss effort while Mahendra Singh Dhoni edged one off Amir behind the stumps after which rain stopped proceedings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, June 17 2019. 00:05 IST