India opener Shubman Gill was in full flow today in Colombo against Pakistan in their Super 4 encounter of the Asia Cup 2023.
The 24-year-old young India opener cracked a terrific half-century wherein he pushed all the pressure of the Pakistani bowlers. Shubman Gill scored 58 runs in 52 balls with the help of 10 dazzling fours, helping India get off to a sizzling start as his opening partner and captain Rohit Sharma struggled early on against Naseem Shah.
Shubman Gill’s takedown of both Naseem and Shaheen Afridi was gripping to watch. It was Rohit who started off the proceedings with a sixer in the first over to Shaheen Afridi – this happened the first time in Shaheen’s ODI career that someone smacked him for a maximum in the first over itself – before Gill took over and his intent was clear right from the start of his innings.
He took 3 fours in Shaheen’s second over, including an audacious walk down the track to chip him over mid-wicket. Shaheen came for revenge in this third over, but Gill creamed him for three more fours – a sweet straight drive over mid-on before cramming two beautiful cover boundaries.
Next in Shubman Gill’s firing line was Naseem Shah, who the batsman cut for a four. However, Naseem replied back strongly and almost had Gill with an outside edge to another attempted cut shot. But the ball flew between the first slip and the second slip as both the slips fielders watched each other.
This was a big missed opportunity by the slip fielders as Gill then made them pay more. He hit two more fours to Faheem Ashraf and by now Rohit Sharma, too, was taking regular boundaries. Both the batters got out soon after completing their breezy half-centuries and put on a terrific opening stand of 121 runs.
Pakistani fielders were trolled heavily on social media for the dropped catch of Shubman Gill:
Typical moment from Pakistan in the field. pic.twitter.com/goIJfclaPg
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 10, 2023
Same energy pic.twitter.com/mOsTmaYnRR
— memes_hallabol (@memes_hallabol) September 10, 2023
It was Iftikhar chicha's catch…
— Patel 🏹 (@Patelshyd) September 10, 2023
Her: Show me you haven't changed.
Me: pic.twitter.com/FCGiPtem5h
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) September 10, 2023
https://twitter.com/Charan_r0yal/status/1700814267703087110?s=20
Rizwan was literally trying to celebrate but ifti chacha overestimated him & thought he was going for the catch https://t.co/oQ2nbcswIC
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) September 10, 2023
Naseem Shah after every edge is missed and catch is droppedpic.twitter.com/jFkBNfeC7r
— S A A D 🇵🇰 (@SaadSays22) September 10, 2023
https://twitter.com/Abdullah__Neaz/status/1700830789209055624?s=20
Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan (Playing XI): Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
