India’s emphatic 228-run victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash marked a significant turning point in Pakistan’s otherwise successful tournament run. The match, spanning two days, witnessed a complete dominance by the Indian team, leaving Pakistan’s head coach, Grant Bradburn, with a rather peculiar post-match comment. Bradburn expressed gratitude to the Indian team for the “gift” they received over Sunday and Monday, suggesting that Babar Azam’s squad had gained invaluable insights from their performance on the 22-yard pitch.

Bradburn elaborated on his enigmatic statement, explaining, “My gut feeling is that we are grateful for the gift that has been these last two days. We don’t get to play some of the best players in the world very often.” He highlighted the rarity of facing such high-caliber opponents and acknowledged that his team had not experienced defeat for the past three months, making this loss a timely reminder of the importance of consistently giving their best on the field.

India’s KL Rahul and Virat Kohli both scored centuries, contributing to the team’s formidable total of 356 runs. Kuldeep Yadav then weaved a web around Pakistan’s batters, clinching a remarkable 5-wicket haul. Bradburn candidly admitted that his team had fallen short in all aspects of the game, with no excuses to offer. “We lost at all facets of the game,” he conceded. “No excuses, we weren’t good enough in the last two days.”