AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Rohit Sharma scored 86 runs off 63 balls, including six fours and six sixes, as India finished with 192-3 in 30.3 overs.
“The bowlers set up the game for us today. It was not a 190 pitch – at one stage, it looked like a 280 score,” Sharma said. “Whoever gets the ball does the job for us. That’s something we pride ourselves in.”
India leads with six points — ahead of New Zealand on net run-rate — after three straight wins. Pakistan, after its first loss of the tournament, has four points from three games and is fourth in the points table.
Chasing 192, fit-again Shubman Gill set a hectic pace as he struck four boundaries to score 16 off 11 balls. His timing was impeccable before Shaheen Afridi (2-36) cut short his comeback innings, and he was caught at backward point.
Sharma and Virat Kohli (16) then added 56 off 42 balls for the second wicket. They didn’t offer any chances for Pakistan to make the game interesting.
Kohli was out against the run of play — a false pull shot off Hasan Ali caught at mid-on in the 10th over.
Sharma added 77 off 71 balls with Shreyas Iyer for the third wicket, as India reached 100 in only 13.5 overs.
The Indian skipper fell 14 short of an eighth World Cup hundred — caught at midwicket off a slower delivery from Afridi. Iyer and Lokesh Rahul (19 not out) didn’t suffer any further hiccups, adding 36 runs for the unbeaten fourth wicket.
Iyer eased his way to 53 not out off 62 balls, including three fours and two sixes, the last of which rang in India’s victory.