After defeating Pakistan by a crushing margin of 7 wickets on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India overtook New Zealand to take the top spot in the ICC World Cup 2023 points standings. India and New Zealand are equal for first place in the competition with six points each after winning their first three games, however India has moved up to the top slot from third due to their higher net run rate. The current net run rate for India is +1.821, while that for New Zealand is +1.604.
However, India would think that by defeating Bangladesh in their following encounter on October 19 in Pune, they can maintain their top status. India was able to maintain their leadership position thanks to their victory against Pakistan in response.
India maintained that momentum into the match against Pakistan on Saturday in front of 100,000 spectators at the greatest cricket stadium in the globe after resounding victories over Australia and Afghanistan. In their high-profile World Cup match at the 132,000-capacity Ahmedabad stadium on Saturday, India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets thanks in large part to Rohit Sharma’s 86 and an excellent bowling performance.
In response to Pakistan’s collapse from 155-2, India bowled out their adversaries for 191. They exceeded the target with 117 balls to spare, extending their winning record over their neighbours in the championship 50-over game to eight games.
As of right currently in the 10-nation competition, Pakistan has two victories and one loss. Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who finished with scores of 2-19 off nine overs, stated, “It felt good.”
Before Rohit and Shreyas Iyer, who struck the decisive four to reach 53, put 77 runs for the third wicket and put India well on pace for victory, India lost Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli (both for 16). Iyer and KL Rahul easily led the team home after Rohit was caught at midwicket while trying to knock another ball off Shaheen Shah Afridi.
After India decided to field, bowlers set up the win by taking two wickets each: Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Eight wickets were lost for 36 runs in 80 balls as Pakistan was knocked out in 42.5 overs. Pakistan had a great start but lost their openers before captain Babar Azam (50) and Mohammad Rizwan (49), who together made an 82-run stand, tried to regroup and hit back.
After the ball bounced off the batsman’s hands, Kuldeep Yadav quickly struck twice in one over to dismiss the left-handed Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed for four runs. In the following over, Bumrah struck again to dismiss Shadab Khan for two runs while playing in the presence of his home fans. Pandya and Jadeja then worked together to close up the innings.
