Rohit Sharma Praises Bowlers as India Defends Modest Total Against England

In a thrilling World Cup encounter in Lucknow, India showcased their bowling prowess to defend a modest total of 230, maintaining their unbeaten streak in the tournament. Their remarkable victory further compounded England’s struggles in the competition. Mohammed Shami emerged as the hero, dismantling the England batting lineup with incredible figures of 4 for 4. India secured a resounding 100-run win with ample overs to spare.

India’s skipper, Rohit Sharma, was all praise for his team’s performance in the post-match presentation ceremony. “This was the game, a lot of character in the squad. All our experienced players stood up at the right time and got the game for us. Looking at how the tournament has gone for us, we had to come and bat here. We were challenged upfront, they bowled pretty well upfront. To get to a total on a pitch that had something in it, we just wanted to get to a total we could play with,” remarked Rohit.

Bumrah’s Double Blow and Shami’s Second Spell

Despite early signs of menace, highlighted by David Willey’s fierce celebration upon removing Virat Kohli for a nine-ball duck, England’s batting troubles persisted. Liam Livingstone’s 27 was the highest score for England, emphasizing their inability to form substantial partnerships. Shami and Bumrah continued to wreak havoc as they accounted for more wickets. 

Jasprit Bumrah, who was outstanding in the later half of the first powerplay, dismissed Dawid Malan and Joe Root within two balls, leaving England reeling at 30 for 2. Ben Stokes was the next to fall, and Shami’s impressive second spell saw him remove Moeen Ali, while Kuldeep Yadav delivered a gem of a delivery that castled Jos Buttler. 

England’s Collapse and Indian Dominance 

With England stumbling at 52 for 5, their hopes rested on Jos Buttler, but Kuldeep Yadav’s delivery sent him back for just 10 runs. Shami returned for a second spell, and his dismissal of Adil Rashid left England with only one wicket remaining. Bumrah then delivered a superb yorker to dismantle Mark Wood’s middle stump, sealing India’s victory. 

“It’s not something you see every day. When you start your innings, you have to try and get a couple of wickets to put the pressure back on the opposition. You can always rely on our seamers to come good and get those crucial breakthroughs. They exploited the conditions. They put the ball in the right areas.”, Rohit exclaimed, applauding the team’s bowling effort. 

India’s Batting Struggles

Earlier in the match, after winning the toss and electing to bat, India faced a few hurdles. England’s David Willey began impressively, but Rohit Sharma’s 87-run knock provided stability to the innings. However, India lost wickets at regular intervals, with Willey, Chris Woakes, and Adil Rashid contributing to the batting struggles. Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal marked the pivotal moment when Woakes sent him back, and Kohli’s mistimed drive was comfortably taken by Stokes. 

Rohit Sharma’s fifty and his aggressive strokeplay, including two sixes, held India together and guided them past the 200 mark. A late cameo by Suryakumar Yadav helped India reach a competitive total. However, Rohit thought that a lot of batters, him included, threw their wicket away after getting decent starts. “We were not great with the bat. Losing three wickets isn’t the ideal situation. Couple of guys threw it, including myself. When you look at the overall picture, we were 30 runs short.”, Rohit further added. 

With this impressive win, India continued their unbeaten run in the World Cup and bolstered their position in the points table. England’s campaign, on the other hand, faced further challenges, and they needed a miraculous turnaround to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

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