Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli laud Colombo ground staff following win in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 Super Four clash

India won their first Super Four clash of Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan by 228 runs.

In the highly anticipated super 4 clash of Asia Cup 2023, India showcased their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan, securing a resounding victory by 228 runs. India's innings was a masterclass in batting, with skipper Rohit Sharma leading from the front. Rohit with an explosive 56 runs in 49 balls added 114 runs with Shubman Gill, who scored 58 runs in 52 balls. Virat Kohli's unbeaten 122 an KL Rahul's 111 runs propelled India to an impressive total of 356 for the loss of just two wickets in their allotted 50 overs.

Pakistan faced an uphill battle in their chase, and the Indian bowlers didn't make it any easier. Kuldeep Yadav was the star with the ball, picking up five crucial wickets for just 25 runs. Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Hardik Pandya provided excellent support with each picking one wicket, creating relentless pressure on the Pakistani batsmen.

Pakistan could only manage a total of 128 runs in 32 overs losing 8 wickets, succumbing to the Indian bowling unit. It was a day where India's batsmen and bowlers fired in unison, making this clash one to remember in the annals of cricketing history.

'Weather was not in our hands but we tried our best,' says Pakistan skipper Babar Azam

Pakistan captain Babar in the post-match presentation explained that certain factors, like the weather, are beyond their control, they made their best effort. However, he admitted their short-comings in both batting and bowling performance. He also acknowledged that India had effective strategies, especially the Indian openers, Virat and Rahul. He also spoke about the Indian bowlers, saying that the put pressure on the Pakistan team early in the innings.

"Weather was not in our hands but we tried our best. We were not up to the mark with our batting and bowling. They (Indian openers) had plans for our bowlers and started well and that was followed up by Virat and Rahul. Jasprit and Siraj bowled well in the first 10 overs and swung the ball both ways, but our batting was not up to the mark." said Babar after the match.

'We just wanted to get out on the park to get some game time,' says India skipper Rohit Sharma

India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his gratitude towards the grounds-men for their diligent efforts to prepare the cricket field despite challenging weather conditions. He emphasized the importance of getting some game time for the team, especially players who haven't had much recent experience. He also praised the team's batting performance, highlighting the adaptability and patience of experienced players. Furthermore, he was impressed with the positive aspects of the team's batting, including the openers and the middle-order batters.

"We just wanted to get out on the park to get some game time. A lot of guys haven't had that. That could only happen thanks to a great effort from the groundsmen. I know how tough it is to cover and remove covers from the whole ground. On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank them. (On batting) Fantastic performance, right from yesterday. When we started, we knew the wicket was good and we had to adjust to the rain. The two experienced guys, we knew, would take time to get their eye in, and then we could get going. (On Bumrah) looked good; he swung it both ways, and he's worked really hard for the last 8–10 months. Bumrah is only 27; for him to miss games isn't ideal, but the way he bowled showed what he is all about. Looking at how we batted, there were lots of positives with the openers and then Virat and KL. Virat's innings were brilliantly paced. And then KL, last minute to get back from injury and play 5 minutes before the toss, we told him to get ready. Shows the mindset of the player." said Rohit after the match.

'I'm always prepared to help the team in different ways,' says Playe of the match Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli won the player of the match for his 122 unbeaten knock, he emphasized his commitment to helping the team in various ways and reflect on his partnership with KL Rahul. He spoke about focusing on rotating strikes and finding easy runs. He also acknowledged his approach to cricket and the positive signs it brings for Indian cricket. Furthermore, he discussed the challenges of playing again the next day, especially in humid conditions, and express his need for recovery.

"I was going to ask you to keep the interview short; I'm very tired. I'm always prepared to help the team in different ways. Today, KL got off to a great start, and my job was just to rotate strikes. I take a lot of pride in trying to push for easy runs; pushing for a double is as easy as they come. (On the reverse ramp boundary.) Because I crossed the 100, there was a bit of respect for that shot. I don't play shots like that, and I looked very bad playing it. Me and KL are both conventional cricketers; we don't try fancy stuff, but we can get a lot of purchases through good cricket shots. Great partnership and good signs for Indian cricket. I am very happy for him to come back to ODI cricket in that manner. (On playing again tomorrow.) I was pushing for those runs and happy for them, but I was thinking I needed to play at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Luckily, we are test players. I've played over 100 tests, so I know how to come back and play the next day. It was really humid out there. I'm 35 in November, so I need to be taking care of that recovery as well. A big shout out to the grounds-men from my side; I think they did a fabulous job." said Virat at the post-match presentation