The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match up may have ended in a damp squib but the 50 overs of play that was possible on Saturday delivered its fair share of excitement. From Shaheen Afridi‘s opening burst to Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan’s twin fifties, the first innings had it all before the match unfortunately got galled off due to persistent rain in Kandy. But while there was no shortage of back-and-forth action, the grandness of the occasion seems to have gotten the better of Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, whose animated send-off to Kishan started doing the rounds on social media.
Rauf finished with 3/58 – he was the most expensive Pakistan bowler among those to have bowled at least 9 overs. His start wasn’t the greatest either, as Shreyas Iyer welcomed him with a couple of boundaries in the very first over and although Rauf got his man, he had to toil before coming through in the death. Like every Pakistan bowler, Rauf too took the stick from Hardik and Ishan, but incidentally it was him who ended the partnership. Rauf bounced Ishan out to end his mighty 138-run stand with Hardik, but in the heat of the moment, came up with an aggressive celebration. As Babar Azam completed the catch at mid-on, Rauf pointed his fingers towards the change room and yelled at Ishan.
Watch the video below:
The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match up may have ended in a damp squib but the 50 overs of play that was possible on Saturday delivered its fair share of excitement. From Shaheen Afridi‘s opening burst to Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan’s twin fifties, the first innings had it all before the match unfortunately got galled off due to persistent rain in Kandy. But while there was no shortage of back-and-forth action, the grandness of the occasion seems to have gotten the better of Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, whose animated send-off to Kishan started doing the rounds on social media.
Rauf finished with 3/58 – he was the most expensive Pakistan bowler among those to have bowled at least 9 overs. His start wasn’t the greatest either, as Shreyas Iyer welcomed him with a couple of boundaries in the very first over and although Rauf got his man, he had to toil before coming through in the death. Like every Pakistan bowler, Rauf too took the stick from Hardik and Ishan, but incidentally it was him who ended the partnership. Rauf bounced Ishan out to end his mighty 138-run stand with Hardik, but in the heat of the moment, came up with an aggressive celebration. As Babar Azam completed the catch at mid-on, Rauf pointed his fingers towards the change room and yelled at Ishan.
Although Rauf won the battle against Ishan, he was made to pay for his celebration from Hardik, who four overs later, produced a memorable over. In the 40th over of the innings, the very next after Ishan’s dismissal, Hardik clubbed three fours in a single over in the most perfect example of ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’. The first ball was short and wide, and Pandya flexed his muscle through a foursome cut shot, almost making Ravi Shastri jump out of his seat. The next was a deft touch, as Hardik opened the face of his bat and guided the ball past the keeper into the boundary. After seeing the next ball carefully, Hardik got into position quickly and swiftly pulled Rauf through mid-wicket for a four. Heck, even off the last over, Haris was taken for a four from India’s No. 10 for the match, Jasprit Bumrah.
Here is Pandya’s revenge:
How India’s innings panned out
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India had moved to 15/0 before rain halted the proceedings. After the break, Pakistan drew first blood with Shaheen Afridi penetrating Rohit Sharma’s and castling him. Virat Kohli began his innings with a crisp boundary but Shaheen snuffed him out too, becoming the first bowler in history to bowl both him and Rohit in the same innings. Later, Rauf joined the part and with the wickets of Iyer and Shubman Gill reduced India to 66/4 before Hardik and Ishan took centerstage and bailed India out of trouble en route to 266 all out.
