Gautam Gambhir Slams Decision Makers To Give Virat Kohli The Man Of The Match Award – India recorded a massive, memorable victory over Pakistan by 228 runs in the Super 4 round match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo. The R. Premadasa Stadium witnessed some heavy lifting by the Indian batters before the bowlers routed the Pakistani batsmen.
After openers Rohit Sharma (56 runs off 49 balls) and Shubman Gill (58 off 52) cracked breezy fifties, the pair Virat Kohli (122* off 94) and KL Rahul (111* off 106) got into the act and they plundered 233* runs in 194 balls in their gigantic partnership, taking India’s total to 356/2, on a pitch where a 250 total was considered to be par.
Pakistan had little chance of chasing it down and the game was soon killed off by the Indian bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Hardik Pandya took one wicket each before Kuldeep Yadav ran through the Pakistani batting line-up with a five-wicket haul in 8 overs.
Virat Kohli, the top-scorer of the match, was given the Player of the Match award. While not many would disagree with Kohli getting the POTM award, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir felt it should have been Kuldeep Yadav!
For me, it’s Kuldeep Yadav, not Virat Kohli: Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir reasoned his thinking by pointing out that Kuldeep took five wickets of the Pakistani team, who are considered good players of spin. He also mentioned that KL Rahul, too, scored a century.
“For me, it’s Kuldeep Yadav. Can’t look beyond him. I know Virat got a hundred KL (Rahul) got a hundred. Rohit (Sharma), Shubman Gill got fifties but on a wicket like this where it was seaming swinging, if someone get five wickets in 8 overs, especially against Pakistan batters, who play spin really well, is a game-changing moment. I can understand if it was Australia, South Africa or New Zealand because they don’t play spin that well. This just shows the quality of the bowler,” Gautam Gambhir told Star Sports.
Gautam Gambhir, who has worked with Kuldeep at KKR, lavished praise on the leg-spinner who is India’s leading ODI wicket-taker in 2023.
“He beat batters in the air and he beat batters off the wicket as well. Going into the World Cup, that is great for Indian cricket because now you have two attacking pacers upfront and Kuldeep… Three bowlers who can take wickets at any stage of the game,” Gambhir added.
India will have to turn up once again in Colombo on Tuesday as they face Sri Lanka. A win for India today will all but seal their spot in the final.
