CWC 2019 India vs Pakistan: Rain, Drama & Historic 7th Win

The Rain Menace: Washout Matches of Week 2

The CWC 2019 India vs Pakistan blockbuster lived up to its monumental hype, despite persistent World Cup 2019 rain threatening to ruin the entire tournament schedule. Week 2 of the tournament was heavily disrupted by inclement weather, leaving fans and teams incredibly frustrated.

Three major washout matches occurred during this period. The clash between South Africa and the West Indies was abandoned after just 7.3 overs, while the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka and India vs New Zealand matches were abandoned without a single ball being bowled.

These washouts forced teams to split points, shaking up the early points table standings.

Mid-Week Thrillers: Australia, England, and South Africa Bounce Back

Despite the wet weather, we witnessed some highly explosive cricket. Australia asserted their dominance by defeating Pakistan by 41 runs, powered by David Warner's brilliant 107 and Aaron Finch's 82.

England also cruised to an easy 8-wicket victory over the West Indies. Joe Root played the role of a perfect all-rounder, scoring a magnificent 100* after Jofra Archer and Mark Wood restricted the Windies to 212.

Meanwhile, South Africa finally secured their first victory of the tournament by defeating Afghanistan. Imran Tahir spun a web around the Afghan batsmen, picking up 4 wickets for just 29 runs to set up an easy chase.

The Main Event: CWC 2019 India vs Pakistan Showdown

All eyes turned to Old Trafford Manchester for the highly anticipated CWC 2019 India vs Pakistan blockbuster. Sent in to bat first, India's batting lineup put on an absolute masterclass.

Rohit Sharma 140 was the star of the show, smashing his 24th ODI century off just 113 balls. He was brilliantly supported by KL Rahul (57) and skipper Virat Kohli (77), propelling India to a massive total of 336/5. Mohammad Amir was the lone warrior for Pakistan, taking 3/47.

Pakistan's chase of 337 was derailed by clinical Indian bowling. Kuldeep Yadav turned the game by dismissing Fakhar Zaman (62) and Babar Azam (48) with absolute deliveries of magic.

When rain interrupted play, the DLS method cricket calculations revised Pakistan's target to 302 from 40 overs. Pakistan finished on 212/6, handing India a comprehensive 89-run victory and maintaining their historic undefeated World Cup streak against their rivals.

Injury Woes: Dhawan, Kumar, and Roy Sidelined

Injuries heavily impacted team selections during Week 2. A devastating Shikhar Dhawan injury (fractured thumb) ruled the Indian opener out for several weeks, forcing Rishabh Pant to be flown in as cover.

During the Pakistan match, Indian paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar suffered a stiff hamstring, sidelining him for the next few games. Vijay Shankar stepped up beautifully in his absence, taking a wicket with his very first ball.

England's explosive opener Jason Roy also suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out of action temporarily, while Afghanistan sent Mohammad Shahzad home under controversial circumstances.

Week 2 of the 2019 World Cup gave us historic batting displays, frustrating rain delays, and India's magnificent seventh consecutive World Cup win over Pakistan. As the tournament progresses, squad depth and injury recovery will decide who makes it to the semi-finals. Stay tuned for our Week 3 round-up!