Now unbeaten against Pakistan for more than three years, India on Monday celebrated a thumping win over their arch-rivals to launch their defence of the Champions Trophy.
Skipper Virat Kohli hit a blistering 81 as India thrashed Pakistan by 124 runs in a rain-affected game on Sunday at Edgbaston.
The Indian Express called the triumph the “Mother of all Mismatches” while The Times of India said it was an “opening statement” at the tournament in England and Wales. A headline in The Hindu read “India knocks the stuffing out of Pakistan” with the newspaper calling the recent cricketing rivalry between the two neighbours as “anything but competitive”.
“A record crowd provided an electric soundtrack on a frustrating wet day as India’s batsmen pounded Pakistan into the ground,” The Hindu wrote. India have never lost to Pakistan in 11 World Cup and World Twenty20 meetings over the years. They have not lost to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in March 2014 and are now locked at 2-2 in their head-to-head count at the 50-over Champions Trophy.
Riding on half-centuries by four of their top batsmen – Rohit Sharma (91), Shikhar Dhawan (68) and Yuvraj Singh (53) as well as Kohli’s bash – India posted a mammoth 319-3 in 48 overs as rain interruptions left Pakistan with a revised target of 289 in 41 overs. Pakistan never seemed to be in the chase. They finished on 164 in 33.4 overs with injured last man Wahab Riaz unable to bat in the lopsided contest. Paceman Riaz gave away 87 runs in 8.4 overs – the most expensive figures yet in the Champions Trophy – before limping off with an injured ankle.
However, DNA carried a blank page in their sports section in line with its parent company Zee Media boycotting the match “in support of the India armed forces”. In an editorial that was also published on the front page, the newspaper also said there are still some who are “too weak to resist the temptation” of an India-Pakistan match, Zee media would stand with the soldiers.
Pakistan media don’t hold back
Pakistan faced calls for a total overhaul on Monday after slumping to a “shameful defeat” against arch-rivals India at the Champions Trophy in England.
“Pakistan suffers shameful defeat at the hands of India in Champions Trophy, Green Shirts fail in every department,” said Jang, Pakistan’s highest-circulation newspaper.
Former captain Shahid Afridi was among several ex-players to call for a major shake-up in the wake of the humiliating defeat.
“The gap between Indian and Pakistani teams is bigger than ever! India has evolved & we are way behind now,” he said on his Twitter account.
“We need to overhaul approach, mindset & work on improving our stagnating skills and play with clear minds.”
Hundreds of millions of fans in the cricket-mad neighbouring countries tuned in to watch Sunday’s game.
Cricket writer Osman Samiuddin slammed Pakistan’s demoralising loss, suggesting they were not up to the challenge.
“India arguably didn’t get out of 3rd gear and still never looked like doing anything other than winning v v comfortably,” he wrote on Twitter.
Others used humour to cushion the blow.
“Pakistan got its tactics wrong today imo, the way to stop India from getting to 300 was to bat first and be bowled out for 150,” wrote social media user Haseeb Asif.
With inputs from Scroll Staff.
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