IND vs PAK: Gautam Gambhir questions Virat Kohli's POTM award, names another contender

After several rain delays and the match moving to the reserve day, the India vs. Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 showdown saw the result and it is the Men in Blue, who inflicted an excruciating defeat of 228 runs to Pakistan. Virat Kohli was chosen as the player of the match for his sublime innings of 122 off 94 balls. While it was the unanimous decision of the match officials to put Kohli on the podium for the award, an ex-India player who is currently in Sri Lanka and is associated with Star Sports as an expert, sees someone else as the rightful holder of the award. 

3 things you need to know

• India won the match by 228 runs
• Virat Kohli and KL Rahul scored a century apiece
• Kohli got the Man of the Match for his 122 off 94

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Gautam Gambhir picks Kuldeep Yadav as the Player of the match over Virat Kohli

Gautam Gambhir, who is known to give his blunt views on the aspects related to the action that place on the ground, is of the opinion that Kuldeep Yadav should have been above in the pecking order for the Player of the Match award. The leg-spinner took a 5-fer against the arch-rivals and played the pivotal role in creating the victory gap, that has been recorded as the highest ever in case of an India victory against Pak. Gambhir commended Kuldeep for being the pick of the bowlers, on the pitch built for seamers, against Pakistan batters who are considered good players of spin. 

"For me, it's Kuldeep Yadav. Can't look beyond him. I know Virat got a hundred KL (Rahul) got a hundred. Rohit (Sharma), and Shubman Gill got fifties but on a wicket like this where it was seaming swinging, if someone get five wickets in 8 overs, especially against Pakistan batters, who play spin really well, is a game-changing moment. I can understand if it was Australia, South Africa or New Zealand because they don't play spin that well. This just shows the quality of the bowler. He beat batters in the air and he beat batters off the wicket as well. Going into the World Cup, that is great for Indian cricket because now you have two attacking pacers upfront and Kuldeep… Three bowlers who can take wickets at any stage of the game," Gambhir said.

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India annihilated Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023

After a blistering start, provided by captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul continued the onslaught to take the score to a momentous 356 mark. Chasing 357, Pak's innings witnessed a shaky start and at no position they were in the match. A breakthrough right at the start by Jasprit Bumrah and a wicket each by Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur put Pakistan in trouble. From there it was the Kuldeep Yadav show. India won the match by 228 runs.