India chose to bowl first and attempted to restrict Pakistan to a difficult total of 159/8. Masood Shan (52*) and Iftikhar Ahmed (51), who had brought their team in action after the failure in power play.
The Indian bowlers were under pressure from the Pakistani seamers, who dismissed Rohit Sharma (4), KL Rahul (4), and Surya Kumar Yadav (15), reducing India to 26 for 3. Unfortunately, India lost their fourth wicket for a meagre score of 31, as a result of the miscommunication between Kohli and Axar.
Unless Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli started to connect with the bat progressively catching the requisite run rate, it appeared like India was already on the losing side. Kohli’s 82 off 53 came with a strike rate of 154.72 including six fours and four most required massive sixes, which was a game changing moment for the players as well as the fans roaring in blue.
Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, responded in the press conference following the game when a reporter asked: Playing on the cricket field and the challenges and bowling to the right length. Can you just describe their bowling unit and how do you think they executed their plans?”
Rohit said, mimicking the accent of the journalist, “I felt really good, I felt really good.”
— Guess Karo (@KuchNahiUkhada) October 24, 2022