Netizens poked fun at Pakistan after Babar Azam and his colleagues were dealt a crushing defeat by Team India in the 2023 Cricket World Cup at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/kajudgreat/status/1713397744814244104

https://twitter.com/GodFatherBharat/status/1713216072571363450

 

The Babar Azam-led side produced a batting display that was very Pakistan-like in Gujarat.

 

At 155/2, Pakistan had 300 in sight as two of its most senior batters, captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, were batting together in the middle.

 

As it appeared Pakistan was in control of the proceedings against the Indian bowlers, Mohammed Siraj produced a gem to dismiss Babar Azam, who fell for fifty off 58 balls.

 

Subsequently, the Pakistan middle order fell like nine-pins, with Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah emerging as the destroyers-in-chief of the Green Army's batting line-up.

 

Eventually, the Pakistan cricket team was dismissed for 191, with their last eight wickets adding only 37 runs on the scoreboard.

 

With India needing 192 to register their eighth successive victory over Pakistan in 50-over World Cups, the Men in Blue were off to a flier, with Rohit Sharma smashing the ball over the park.

 

Rohit Sharma, who struck a blistering hundred in the last match against Afghanistan, appeared in great nick as he dealt in boundaries and sixes throughout his knock in Motera.

 

The Pakistani bowlers were helpless in front of Rohit Sharma's onslaught as the Indians were on their way to a commanding win over their neighbors.

 

Though India lost Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in quick succession, with both contributing 16 runs each, Shreyas Iyer joined Rohit Sharma in the middle, and their 77-run partnership almost sealed the home team's triumph.

 

But against the run of play, Rohit Sharma, steadily moving toward his second consecutive century in this edition of the World Cup, lost his wicket to Shaheen Shah Afridi as he mistimed a slower ball from the premier Pakistan speedster.

 

After Rohit Sharma's departure, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul ensured there were no more hiccups for Team India, as the hosts completed a seven-wicket triumph with more than 19 overs to spare.

 

After the match, Rohit Sharma paid rich plaudits to his side's bowlers, who won India the match against Pakistan.

 

“The bowlers today as well set the game for us. Restricting them to 190 was a great effort. It was not a 190 pitch. At one stage we were looking at 280 or 290. Whoever gets the ball does the job for the team. We have got six individuals who can do the job. It cannot be everyone's day every day. The person having a good day has to finish the job,” he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

 

“My job as captain has to be important. Whoever is doing the job on the day I have to figure out who is doing the job and go with him. It's only because the guys entering the World Cup got a lot of runs. The role clarity as well was great. We knew what to do. Entering the WC we didn't want to see what happened previously. We were very clear about what we wanted to do. The batters got the opportunity and made it count. The bowlers also did their job,” he added.

 

“I will keep my fingers crossed. We don't want to get too excited and also not get too low as well. It is a long tournament, nine league games and then the semis and final. Just have to keep the balance and go forward,” Rohit Sharma emphasized.

 

“I have said it before, for us it was an opposition [Pakistan] we wanted to play. Every opposition we come against they can beat you. We have to be good on that particular day. The past and future does not matter,” he asserted.

 

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam slammed the batters for their below-par display against India.

 

“We started well, good partnership. We just planned to play normal cricket and build partnerships. Suddenly there was a collapse and we could not finish well. Not good for us, the way we started, our target was 280-290 but the collapse cost us. The total was not good. We are not up to the mark with the new ball. The way Rohit played, was an outstanding innings. We just tried to take wickets, but that didn't happen,” Babar Azam stated.

 

Meanwhile, ex-England captain Eoin Morgan and veteran Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir ripped into the Green Army for making a series of mistakes during the match.

“When you want to beat the best sides in the world are in this tournament. You have to bring your A-game. So I got a boxing match. You can't have a bad round. You can have a bad blow here and there. But it can't be consecutive with lots of wickets or clusters of wickets,” Eoin Morgan said on Sky Sports.

 

“And we did see it in the first game here in New Zealand against England, where England was starting to get away and throwing the odd punch here and there but couldn't quite land up blow, which is a substantial partnership that would take them up to a winning par score. I think Pakistan made those mistakes today,” the former England skipper elaborated.

“Since we are talking about Pakistan team, let me tell you where the problem is. Our preparations were wrong. Hasan Ali came into the World Cup after Naseem Shah got injured. Hasan Ali was not even in their plans. He was injured and not even playing,” Mohammad Amir on Geo Sports.

 

“The one we were carrying for three years, Mohammad Wasim Jr, plays one match and sits out for the next two. He is still with the team, but is on the bench. And the one who came in as a replacement is bowling for Pakistan. You didn’t prepare someone to bowl in the new ball and who has come from outside is playing,” he concluded.

After securing a comfortable win over Pakistan and moving to the top of the table, Team India will meet Bangladesh in their fourth fixture of the Cricket World Cup at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on October 19.