Dive into the Pak vs India scorecard: highlights so far!

Mid-match analysis by: Usman Khan

LAHORE: The much-awaited India-Pakistan encounter today certainly lived up to its potential. Fresh from their last meeting at the Melbourne T20 World Cup 2022, both teams brought their A-game to the field, ensuring fans were on the edge of their seats.

Pakistan, reigning supreme as the ODI Number 1 Ranked Team, had a dream start. Shaheen Shah Afridi, with the ball singing to his tune, delivered a crucial blow in his third over after the rain break. Big guns for India, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, found themselves back in the pavilion, clean bowled by the left-arm fast bowler. Haris Rauf then took center stage, claiming the wicket of Shreyas Iyer in the 10th over and Shubman Gill, who seemed a bit off-color, just a few overs later.

However, cricket, especially an India-Pakistan match, is nothing if not unpredictable. Enter Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya, both of whom steadied the ship for India. Their stand was a delight to watch, a mix of caution and aggression. Kishan’s flick and upper cut for two sixes off Rauf’s bowling stood out, while Pandya’s trio of boundaries against the same bowler, including a deft glide and a robust pull, brought joy to Indian fans.

Pakistan was not to be outdone. Rauf made another decisive intervention, dismissing Kishan for a well-made 82, the catch smartly taken by Captain Babar Azam at mid-on. Later in the innings, Afridi added two more to his tally, including the in-form Pandya on 87 and R Jadeja on 14. Naseem Shah bowled brilliantly, causing trouble with his swing, and hauling 3 wickets.

With a match-winning score at Pallekelle Stadium believed to be around 270 to 280, India’s total of 266 sets up an interesting second innings.

Pakistan’s top order, with stalwarts like Babar Azam, Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Iftikhar Ahmed, now have the task to chase down this competitive total. Given their recent string of losses against India in ODIs, the pressure is palpable. Let’s see how the match unfolds!