On this day in 2023, India defeated Pakistan in their biggest-ever victory thanks to the scorching hundreds of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. India defeated Pakistan by 228 runs in the match.
Virat Kohli asserted his dominance over Pakistan on this day last year at the Asia Cup 2023. He confirmed his love affair with scoring against the bitterest of opponents with a stunning knock. The Colombo fans saw another masterclass from Kohli as he amassed an undefeated 122 off 94 balls. In addition to being filled with classic Kohli strokes, his knock also represented his 47th century in one-day internationals, adding to his record of punishing Pakistan’s bowlers in tight games. In the ODI Asia Cups, he won his fourth and last Player of the Match title.
One of Kohli’s greatest qualities throughout his career has been his ability to rise to the occasion when facing Pakistan, and this game was no exception. He put India in an advantageous position by reaching his century in just 84 balls. During his innings, he also scored more over 13,000 runs in ODIs, becoming the fastest player to reach this mark. Kohli always seems to play his best when against Pakistan, and this game added a memorable new chapter to his rivalry with the neighbors.
Even though Kohli’s genius took center stage, KL Rahul’s century was just as significant. After recovering from an injury, Rahul demonstrated that he is back to his best by playing a cool knock of 111* off 106 balls. A partnership of 233 runs between the two was the foundation of India’s massive 356 for 2. Before this, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, the Indian openers, had a strong partnership before Gill ended his innings shortly after reaching his half-century. Their performance in the run-up to the ODI World Cup served as a tribute to India’s batting capabilities.
India’s greatest victory vs Pakistan
In reaction, Pakistan buckled under the strain. Following the destruction of their top order by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav wove a web around the middle and lower order, claiming five wickets for a mere twenty-five runs. India won handily by 228 runs, with Pakistan’s chase crumbling at 128 runs. After being postponed to a reserve day and lasting 32 hours, the match ultimately proved to be a one-sided contest, with India winning their fourth-highest number of One-Day Internationals.
