In the ongoing 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, Team India clashed with Pakistan in their 12th match at the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The contest began with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma winning the toss and choosing to field. This decision put the onus on Babar Azam and his Pakistani team to kick off their innings.
The Indian bowlers showcased remarkable discipline during the powerplay, effectively keeping the Pakistani batsmen in check. Although the opening duo of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq managed to find some boundaries, the Indian bowlers swiftly regrouped to regain control.
The partnership between Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq reached 41 runs before Mohammed Siraj bowled a sensational delivery that caught the right-handed batter leg-before-wicket. Shortly after, Hardik Pandya delivered a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Imam-ul-Haq with a cunning delivery that moved slightly away from the left-hander.
Imam attempted to drive the ball but ended up edging it, leading to a safe catch by KL Rahul behind the stumps. When Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Mohammad Rizwan, arrived at the crease in the 13th over, he took his time to prepare. While Hardik Pandya was ready to bowl, Rizwan continued to delay.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma grew increasingly frustrated and approached the on-field umpire to address the issue of time-wasting. Interestingly, former Indian captain Virat Kohli playfully checked his wristwatch repeatedly while Rizwan took his time, garnering attention on social media.
Kohli trolling Rizwan… “❤️ de acting bandh kaar .. jaldi aa batting karne”pic.twitter.com/c0SM2gYq6T
— Rainbow Salt (@Rainbowsalts91) October 14, 2023
Shubman Gill, who missed the first two games due to Dengue, made his return to the team against Pakistan. At the time of writing this article, Pakistan had posted a total of 123/2 after 24 overs, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan at the crease, scoring 34 and 32 runs, respectively.