T20 WC brand ambassador Yuvraj backs Rohit & Virat in squad
Karthik started the last T20 World Cup in Australia as India’s designated keeper before losing his spot ahead of the team’s semifinal defeat to England.
India’s formidable batting line-up lived up to the expectations as the team piled up 319 runs in 48 overs of the rain-curtailed Champions Trophy match against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday.
Captain Virat Kohli and pinch-hitter Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten for 81 and 20 runs, respectively, at the end of Indian innings.
Despite losing the toss in the much-hyped match, Kohli and his men started aggressively. The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan struck hard set a rhythm that remained intact till the conclusion of the innings.
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Rohit shone to the maximum as he scored 91 runs in his 119-ball innings. He took the Edgbaston crowd off their feet with two sixes and seven boundaries.
The other opener, Dhawan supported Rohit with great zeal as the opening pair established a 136-run opening partnership stand.
It was leg spinner Shadab Khan who earned the breakthrough for Pakistan, claiming the much needed wicket of Dhawan in the 25th over. Dhawan slammed 68 runs off 65 balls with a six and six boundaries.
Following the dismissal of Dhawan, captain Kohli took the centrestage and dominated the most of the session afterwards. Striking three sixes and six boundaries, Kohli made unbeaten 81 runs at a strike rate of 119.11.
Middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh joined the skipper in the thrashing of Pakistani bowlers. The 35-year-old stroke-maker scored 53 runs off 49 balls with a six and eight boundaries. Pakistani pacer Hasan Ali took the scalp of Yuvraj via LBW.
In the end, it was sheer delight to watch Pandya in his beast form as he hit three consecutive sixes in the last over by Imad Wasim.
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