Rohit Sharma blasts 24th century, India on top vs Pakistan in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

Rohit Sharma displayed his class and mettle as he blasted his 23^rd century and second in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 as India dominated against Pakistan in the marquee clash in Manchester. Rohit was well-supported by KL Rahul as he smashed his third fifty and the duo became the first Indian openers to stitch a 100-plus opening stand against Pakistan in World Cups. Pakistan chose to bowl against India in overcast conditions and with a threat of rain in Manchester. Mohammad Amir started off well and looked the most threatening of the bowlers but he was let down by lack of support from Hasan Ali, his opening bowler from the other end. (CATCH LIVE CRICKET SCORE IND v PAK HERE)

After starting with a couple of fours, Rohit broke the shackles with a brilliant cut shot to deep cover off Hasan Ali while he crunched a pull shot over deep midwicket for a six. The right-hander cracked a short ball off Shadab Khan to the deep point fence while he clobbered yet another six. Rohit got to his landmark in style by smashing yet another short ball from the legspinner to the square third man fence for a boundary.

Rahul continued his fine form and he supported Rohit well as he notched up his third fifty. However, Wahab Riaz struck a big blow as Rahul chipped a full ball to Babar Azam at short cover for 57. Rohit continued his fine run and he targeted the spinners brilliantly by lashing Mohammad Hafeez straight down the ground for a boundary. He survived a close call when he was in the 80s when he inside-edged Hasan Ali but the ball missed the stumps and raced away to the fine leg fence.

Rohit entered the 90s in style by upper-cutting a six off Hasan Ali over the third man for his third six and he reached his milestone by cutting Shadab to the deep point fence for a single to bring up his century off just 85 balls. Rohit continued to rake in the records as he broke Virat Kohli's mark of the highest individual score in World Cups against Pakistan, which was 107 in the 2015 World Cup in Adelaide.

Pakistan has never won a World Cup contests against India ever since both teams started playing in 1992. In Sydney, India won their first encounter while they knocked Pakistan out in the quarterfinal of the 1996 World Cup. In 1999, they defeated Pakistan in the super six stages while in 2003, they registered a win in the league stages. In 2011, they knocked Pakistan out of the tournament with a win in the semi-final while in 2015, they won by a big margin in Adelaide.

India is currently unbeaten in the 2019 tournament while Pakistan has suffered losses to West Indies and Australia with their game against Sri Lanka abandoned due to rain.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rohit Sharma blasted his second ton in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
• Pakistan has never won against India in World Cups.
• KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma became the first Indian openers to stitch 100-run stand in World Cups vs Pakistan.

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