Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
Watch: India beat Pakistan by 228 runs in a Super Four match at the 2023 Asia Cup. Watch the IND vs PAK highlights.
Asked to bat at R Premadasa Stadium with rain looming in the air, Indian openers Rohit Sharma (56 in 49 balls, six fours, four sixes) and Shubman Gill (58 in 52, 10 fours) blazed away to a rollicking start, adding 121 in 100 balls.
Both men fell in quick succession, Rohit to Shadab Khan (1-71) and Gill to Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-79) rain forced the umpires to call of play when India were 147-2 in 24.1 overs. However, there was a reserve day, and despite the delayed start, there was enough time for a 50-over contest.
Virat Kohli (122 not out in 94 balls, nine fours, three sixes) and KL Rahul (111 not out in 106, 12 fours, two sixes) batted for the rest of the Indian innings, adding 233 in 193 balls.
Pakistan were hit by the injury of Haris Rauf, who did not take field on the reserve day after sending down five overs on the first. Naseem Shah, too, left the field while sending down his final over. India raced to 356-2.
The Pakistan response never got going against a searing opening spell from Jasprit Bumrah (1-18), ably supported by Mohammed Siraj (0-23). Once they were done, Hardik Pandya (1-17) and Shardul Thakur (1-16) ensured the pressure was never released.
Rain held up play again when Pakistan were 44-2 in 11 overs, but once the match resumed, they could not accelerate. With the scoreboard pressure mounting, the batters did not stand a chance against Kuldeep Yadav, who ran through the middle order with 5-25.
Neither Naseem nor Rauf batted, and the Pakistan innings ended at 128 in 32. India won by 228 runs, their biggest margin of victory against Pakistan while batting first, and the fourth-biggest against any side.
