Not a single wicket fell in India’s innings on reserve day at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul preyed on a depleted Pakistan bowling attack in the absence of their tearaway pacer Haris Rauf. They shared a 233-run stand for the third wicket, the highest partnership for any wicket in the history of the ODI Asia Cup.
The previous record belonged to Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed who shared a 224-run partnership against India in Mirpur in 2012. The previous record for the highest partnership for an Indian pair in the ODI Asia Cup belonged to Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. The pair shared a 213-run partnership for the third wicket against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014.
During the record partnership, Kohli and Rahul also completed 1,000 ODI runs as a pair. Their massive unbeaten partnership took India’s score to 356/2, their joint-highest against Pakistan in the format. In 2005, India posted 356/9 against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam.
This was also India's highest third-wicket partnership against Pakistan in ODIs. The previous record was held by Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag. They shared a 201-run stand in Kochi in 2005.
Kohli scored 122 runs from 94 deliveries including nine fours and three sixes. This was his 47th ODI century. He also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for fastest to 13,000 ODI runs.
On the other end, Rahul scored a century on his comeback to international cricket after a long injury layoff. He scored 111 runs from 106 balls including 12 fours and a couple of sixes.
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