Tons by Rahul, Kohli & Kuldeep's 5/25 fashion India's biggest victory in terms of runs over Pakistan
In the end the wait was worth it. India's Super-4 clash of the Asia Cup against Pakistan had seen the controversial reserve day activated after heavy rain in Colombo meant only 24.1 overs of play being possible on Sunday. India had made 147/2 with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli batting on 17 and 8 respectively.
Rain delayed play by over 100 minutes on Monday too. The hardworking ground staff at the Premadasa got the ground ready and despite grey clouds around, India's innings got under way.
KL Rahul announced his return with a classy unbeaten 111* (106 balls; 12x4, 2x6) and Virat Kohli 122* (94b; 9x4, 3x6) once again showed the beast mode he can get into when the team in front of him is Pakistan. Getting his fourth successive hundred at the Premadasa (emulating Hashim Amla's four successive tons at Centurion) and dishing out a clinic in how to hustle between the wickets, he added 233 with Rahul to take India to 356/2.
Pakistan's chase got off to a rocky start. Jasprit Bumrah, bowling in an ODI for the first time since last September, tormented both Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam with penetrative channel bowling. He eventually dismissed left-handed Imam caught by Shubman Gill at second slip. At the other end, Hardik Pandya produced a dream in-cutter to clean up Babar. At 44/2 in 11 overs, another sharp shower delayed play.
When play started, Shardul Thakur produced an unplayable leg-cutter that Mohammad Rizwan edged to Rahul. Then chinaman Kuldeep Yadav took over. Bowling with zip and a straighter run-up, he castled Fakhar Zaman for a laboured 50-ball 27. Salman Ali Agha was out LBW. Iftikhar Ahmed was caught and bowled. Shadab was caught in the deep and Faheem Ashraf was bowled. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah did not come out to bat as Pakistan were bowled out for 128 in 32 overs.
India never let their arch-rivals get away and won by 228 runs. They take on Sri Lanka at the same venue today.
1/10:Asia Cup: India crush Pakistan in rain-hit ODI
AP
2/10:India thrash Pakistan
<p>Virat Kohli and KL Rahul hit unbeaten centuries to lead India's 228-run thrashing of Pakistan in a rain-hit Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Monday's reserve day. </p>AFP
3/10:Record stand
<p>Kohli (122*) and Rahul (111*) put together 233 runs as India reached 356-2, a total defended after they bowled out Pakistan for 128 in the 50-over contest in Colombo. </p>Getty Images
4/10:India win
<p>Pakistan ended on 128-8 in 32 overs with injured bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah not turning out to bat. </p>AP
5/10:Kuldeep Yadav
<p>Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned figures of 5-25 to hand India their biggest ODI win over Pakistan. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Dashing duo
<p>Rahul, who returned from an injury lay-off, raised his bat to celebrate his hundred and was hugged by Kohli, who soon brought up his own ton after surpassing 13,000 ODI runs. </p>AFP
7/10:47th ODI 100
<p>It was Kohli's 47th ODI ton and extended his century score to 77 in internationals. </p>PTI
8/10:Match-winning stand
<p>Kohli and Rahul resumed cautiously on their overnight scores of 8 and 17 before they took to the Pakistan attack with 100 runs in 102 balls. </p>PTI
9/10:Classy knock
<p>Rahul smashed 12 fours and two sixes, including whipping Shadab Khan over mid-wicket, in his 106-ball knock. </p>ANI
10/10:Final flourish
<p>Kohli finished the innings with a six down the ground against a bowling attack that lacked sting. Sloppy fielding added to Pakistan's woes. </p>Getty ImagesPakistan, who were without the injured Rauf on Monday because scans showed inflammation of his oblique muscle, were hampered as Rahul and Kohli attacked the part-time off-spin of Iftikhar. Kohli, the fastest to 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000 ODI runs had 13K waiting for him.
Babar chose to go on the defensive even though the impressive Naseem Shah was troubling both batters. With the field spread, Kohli chose to run the singles and twos and give the more attacking Rahul the strike. While he got to 50 in 55 balls, the change of gears happened after the 40th over.
As Babar brought back Iftikhar for his second spell, Kohli flicked him for a six over mid-wicket and pulled him for a boundary. Prior to the game, the modern master was 98 runs shy of getting to 13000 ODI runs. Sachin Tendulkar was the fastest to get there in 321 innings.
A pull off Shaheen Shah Afridi helped Kohli log a brace and get there 54 innings earlier. He is now just two tons behind Tendulkar's 49 in ODIs.
