India looked to score 350+ runs at one stage but the Pakistan bowlers pulled it back. Mohammad Amir was the stand out bowler as he picked three wickets from his 10 overs. India scored 336 runs for the loss of five wickets at the end of 50 overs. After the quick departure of Pandya and Dhoni, drizzles led the teams to get off the field. However, the match resumed with no overs lost. Virat lost his wicket within one over after the rain. The catch was not convincing, however, after much thought, the umpire decided to send the Indian captain back. Looking at the monitors in the dressing room, Virat later came to know that the ball never touched any part of his bat or glove.
Shankar and Jadav tried their best to take India over the 330 mark. A huge task for the Pakistan batsmen to score so many runs against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and co. But with the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam in form, the men in green look to start off strong. Virat Kohli departed with only three overs remaining for India to reach their desired 350 runs.
Quick bouncer from Mohammad Amir, too quick for Kohli, who tried to swivel and pull it to fine leg. Got the faintest of edges, and a prolonged appeal moved the umpire's finger. Drizzles around the stadium stopped play just as Pakistan looked to gain some momentum as they took wickets of MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya in quick successions.
If India do not bat again, Pakistan will require 327 runs in 46 overs. In case of a 20-over match, Pakistan will have a 184-run target. 11,000 runs up for Virat Kohli as he scored a boundary off Hasan Ali. Virat is the fastest batsman to reach 11,000 ODI runs as he took only 222 innings. He needed only 57 runs to reach the milestone and what better game than the one against their arch rivals, Pakistan to reach this feat.
Kohli has played in 229 ODIs till the previous game against New Zealand in the World Cup and has batted in 221 of them scoring 10,943 runs at an average of 59.47. He has 41 hundreds and 50 half-centuries under his belt with 183 against Pakistan being his highest. The star batsman has remained not out 37 times.
He is already the fastest to 10,000 ODI runs which he reached in his 205th innings (213 matches) during the games against the West Indies on October 24, 2018 in Visakhapatnam. Rohit Sharma finally falls after a impressive 140 off just 113 deliveries, an innings laced with 14 fours and three sixes. He looked visibly frustrated as this was an opportunity to really put Pakistan out of the game with a really big team total. India still have the firepower to go on and make a really challenging score in this game.
Rohit Sharma scored a scintillating century of 85 balls as India are cruising along. This is his 24th century in ODIs as he took a single off Shadab Khan from the last ball of the 29th over. Wahab Riaz sent KL Rahul back to the pavilion as the opening partnership of 136 runs by Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul was broken in the 24th over.
Wahab Riaz pitched the ball up to Rahul, and the batsman looked to play on the front foot, and guide it through the covers. Instead, it spooned up to Babar Azam for the most comfortable catch he will ever take. A few inside edges here and there from Rohit Sharma but he has traded blows quite well with the Pakistan pace lineup after India were sent in to bat by Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed in the World Cup match in Manchester today. The new opening duo combined to notch the fourth century stand for India against Pakistan in a World Cup match.
Lokesh Rahul, who is opening the batting due to the injury to regular opener Shikhar Dhawan has looked solid so far. Mohammad Amir bowled four econmical overs but Pakistan leaked runs at the other end. They had a huge opportunity in the 10th over when the openers miscommunicated while running between the wickets. The fielder threw at the wrong end and Sharma survived and he proceeded to race to a 34-ball 50 as India reached 79 for no loss in 12 overs.
Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and asked India to bat first in their ICC Cricket World Cup fixture in Manchester today. This is the marquee match of this World Cup, and billions of people would be tuning in to their TV sets, radios and on the internet for updates of this match. Rain was forecast heavily for this match, but thankfully the skies seem to be clear for the time being.
India versus Pakistan matches have, over the years, produced some heated rivalries and epic moments, be it at the World Cup or elsewhere, but its not always about rivalries and bitterness between these two neighbours. There are heartwarming stories, too, like this one, underneath the apparent tension.
India come into this match in fourth position, with five points from three matches. The men in blue are one of the two unbeaten teams of this World Cup so far, having beaten South Africa and defending champions Australia while the match against New Zealand being washed out.
Pakistan, on the other hand, were blown away by the West Indies before resurrecting themselves with a thrilling win against hosts England. The green shirts then had their game against Sri Lanka washed out before losing against Australia despite a valliant fight in their last match. They sit second from bottom with three points from four games.
Pakistan made two changes for this game. Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim come back, replacing Asif Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi.Kohli Vijay Shankar replaces injured Shikhar Dhawan for India.
