Cricket World Cup 2023 as it happened: India demolish great rivals Pakistan

They sit on six points with three matches played and with a superior net run rate to second-placed New Zealand. They’ll go on to beat Bangladesh next, on Thursday. Then they’ll beat New Zealand, and then England.

“The bowlers set the game up for us,” says Rohit. “Restricting them to 190 was a great effort. At one stage we were looking at 270-280. We pride ourselves on the fact that whoever gets the ball does the job for the team. It’s my job as captain to read the conditions and decide who is the best guy to bowl.

“We’ve been very clear with what we want to do: who bats in what position and what happens is someone isn’t fit. Guys got runs and wickets going into the World Cup, so all in all it’s looking good. We don’t want to get too excited or too low. It’s a long tournament and we want to stay balanced. That is the key.”

This is definitely not the end for Pakistan, whose net run rate is not good but who still have four points. They’ll be overtaken in fourth place very soon, but are in a far better position than, say, Australia.

“We started well,” says Pakistan captain Babar Azam. “Then suddenly we collapsed in the middle overs. It’s not good. We were aiming for 280/290 but that collapse cost us. With the new ball we were not up to the mark, though Rohit played an outstanding innings.”

On that note, I will bid you goodnight. Until next time!

India fans after their win.Credit: Getty

India have now won all eight ODI World Cup meetings with Pakistan. This, the eighth, was undoubtedly the simplest. Rohit was exquisite, first in his decision-making throughout Pakistan’s innings and second with the bat in his own team’s. He is not named player of the match, though. That goes to Bumrah, for his bowling exploits which cracked open Pakistan’s order.

With a little over 19 overs to spare. Iyer does the honours with a four that brings up his 50 in the process. Two boxes ticked.

The fireworks have started at the stadium, and they befit the home team’s performance.

India 3-192 (Iyer 53, Rahul 19) after 30.3 overs

Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and India’s KL Rahul after India’s win.Credit: AP

India’s Shreyas Iyer, right, and India’s KL Rahul celebrate their win.Credit: AP

Courtesy of Hasan’s five dot balls which accompany Rahul’s merciless four.

India 3-186 (Iyer 48, Rahul 18), need six runs from 20 overs

And do so in a manner which sums up the kind of day they’ve had. Nawaz bowls to Rahul, who clocks it to long-off. Iftikhar has chased it down, except that as he is sliding he helps the ball onto the boundary, rather than stopping it.

I thought this might be closer. I was wrong.

India 3-182 (Iyer 48, Rahul 14), need 10 runs from 21 overs

Rauf bowls a jaffa. It’s almost 145km/h. Rahul stands static but sort of swings, and almost gets an edge.

India 3-170 (Iyer 45, Rahul 5), need 22 runs from 23 overs

And Australia, who have had a dismal tournament and must beat Sri Lanka on Monday to have a mathematical chance of progressing past group play, will be watching this intently. The Australia v Pakistan match will happen on Friday.

Meanwhile, Afridi keeps both batters to a single in his latest over.

India 3-165 (Iyer 41, Rahul 4), need 27 runs from 25 overs

After all of that imperiousness, a pedestrian shot off a 107km/h delivery ends his knock on 85. Afridi bowls the off-cutter, and Rohit reaches and swings. It’s a regulation catch for Iftikhar. Once again, the small joyful moment for Pakistan is greeted by silence from the more than 100,000 watching them. Rohit will not reach his eighth World Cup century on this day. But he has done more than enough.

India 3-157 (Iyer 36, Rahul 1), need 35 runs from 28 overs

Shreyas charges Nawaz and bullies him into another six. This one is only 82 metres, not as far as the 92m of before. Not good enough, really. Kidding, obvs. Rohit got another in the ball before - from Shadab in the final ball of the previous over.

Pakistan, though, are making it easy. Two fours in the past couple of overs have come from fielders chasing down shots and making it, only to trip on the barrier or help the ball into it.

As I said, this is a statement.

India 154-2 (Rohit 85, Iyer 35), need 38 runs from 29 overs

It’s not even if India win, now, more how quickly they can do it. Shadab bowls a touch full to Rohit and he makes four. And then, just as you think the run rate may be slowing a little, Shadab feeds Iyer as if to invite him to swing for a six. He does so. Over his head. It is India’s seventh in this match.

India 2-126 (Rohit 67, Iyer 25), need 66 runs from 32 overs