Ishan Kishan, who was selected to bat at No. 5 in place of the injured KL Rahul because of his little ODI World Cup record, made an outstanding 82 runs off 81 balls. His poise under pressure was what made his knock stand out.
Ishan played his natural attacking game, preventing him from giving in to the early onslaught by Pakistani bowlers. Hardik Pandya was also motivated by Ishan to play in a similar manner. Before the rain stopped play, their 138-run partnership kept India’s innings alive.
When KL Rahul joins the India team for the Asia Cup, there is growing discussion about whether Rahul should be included. Veteran cricketers like Mohammad Kaif and Gautam Gambhir have chimed in with their thoughts on Ishan and Rahul as the ideal wicketkeeper-batters for the Odi World Cup starting XI.
Ishan’s versatility delighted former head coach Ravi Shastri as well, as he batted at No. 5 instead of his normal opening position. Ishan and Rahul could both bat in the batting order, according to the opposition and the circumstances of the game, according to Shastri, who highlighted the necessity for flexibility in the batting order.