Centuries from openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan helped India crush Pakistan by nine wickets in the Super Four match of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Dhawan smashed 114 from 100 balls, while Rohit stroked an unbeaten 111 from 119 balls as India cruised to 238 for one in 39.3 overs, to register a comprehensive victory with 63 balls to spare.
Earlier, India's bowlers put in a disciplined performance to restrict Pakistan to 237 for seven after they had elected to bat.
Dhawan and Rohit destroyed the Pakistan bowling attack as the duo put on 210 runs for the opening wicket to help India continue their unbeaten run in the Asia Cup, while registering their second straight win over Pakistan.
One of the most fearsome opening pairs in ODI format, Rohit-Dhawan combination were helped by some ordinary bowling from Pakistan with equally sloppy fielding compounding their woes.
Rohit was dropped twice, on 14 and 81, and he made Pakistan pay for their lapses.
The two players started off steadily before they took the attack to Pakistan's bowlers. Dhawan's 50 came off 56 balls with a pulled boundary, while Rohit took 65 balls to reach the milestone.
However, after completing their fifties, it was a role reversal with Rohit suddenly shifting gears as he hit leg-spinner Shahdab Khan for two sixes over midwicket.
Dhawan reached his 15th hundred with a cover drive off Shaheen Afridi and celebrated it with a huge six and a boundary before being needlessly run-out. His innings had 16 fours and two sixes.
Just like his half-century, Rohit scampered home for a double to complete his 19th ton and on the way also completed 7000 runs in ODI format.
Earlier, veteran Shoaib Malik scored 78 off 90 balls and added 107 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (44) to enable Pakistan post a fighting total.
The Pakistan innings could be segregated into three distinct parts. A slow start where India made inroads followed by solid middle-overs batting before failing to utilise the launch pad fully with Jasprit Bumrah (2/29 in 10 overs) being brilliant at the death.
India once again started well with Mahendra Singh Dhoni's penchant for getting DRS reviews right after Yuzvendra Chahal (2/46 in 9 overs) got his first wicket by trapping Imam-Ul-Haq (10) in front of the stumps.
Fakhar Zaman (31) was set but lost his footing trying to sweep Kuldeep Yadav (2/41 in 10 overs) to get leg before. The replays showed that the ball hit his gloves first but Pakistan didn't take the review.
Babar Azam was run out after a misunderstanding with his captain Sarfraz as Pakistan were reduced to 58 for three.
However, it was the Malik-Sarfraz combination which put the Pakistan innings back on track with their sensible approach during the middle overs.
The seasoned duo kept on rotating the strike, hitting the boundaries and sixes whenever given an opportunity.
Malik, who is a master player of spin bowling, hit Yuzvendra Chahal for a slog sweep and also played Kedar Jadhav well.
Without trying to defend, Malik-Sarfraz got singles at will against Jadhav, prompting Rohit to take him off attack after only three overs.
Ravinda Jadeja, after a good match against Bangladesh, struggled as Malik used his feet to perfection lofting him straight into the VIP stands for a six.
Sarfraz, who played second fiddle to perfection was finally dismissed when he tried to hit Kuldeep over cover only to be snapped by Rohit Sharma.
Malik was joined by Asif Ali (30 off 21 balls), who teed off by smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two sixes and a boundary in the 42nd over, that fetched Pakistan 22 runs.
However, there was another twist left as Jasprit Bumrah, coming back for his final spell got an inside edge off Malik's bat to get him caught by Dhoni down the leg side.
Asif, who looked like cutting loose, was bowled by Chahal as Pakistan lost the momentum at the end.
Bumrah was phenomenal at the death, bowling block-hole deliveries at will. In all, he bowled 39 dot balls in his 10 overs as Pakistan could score only 38 runs in their last seven overs.
