If you are surfing the internet, then there is a high chance that you have come across the best pace attack in the world at the moment. This follows a massive victory secured by India against their opponents from the ODI World Cup 2011 final, Sri Lanka. The same ground, the same feeling, and the same result, with the difference that the Lankan army had no idea what was hitting them with every ball.
India was responsible for commencing the innings amidst the exceedingly high temperatures in Mumbai. Sri Lanka anticipated that the pitch would be more conducive to batting during the second inning. However, winning the toss and being elected to the field first went in the opposite direction altogether. The local prodigy returned to the pavilion on the second ball. The Indian skipper departing after hitting a boundary sent a clear signal: chase a self-set target of 300+.
What followed was a brutal batting attack on Kusal Mendis’s bowlers. Shubham Gill scored 92 runs in 92 balls, even earning standing ovations from his close friends as his inspiration, and the King of the Game, Virat Kohli, brought up 88 runs at a 93.62 strike rate. Interestingly, half of these runs for the former Indian skipper came from 11-4s with zero 6s.
Shreyas Iyer, who is somewhat fighting for a spot once Hardik Pandya returns to the squad, proved why he is worth being on the list. He sadly missed his century by 18 runs but gave India the lead with a strike rate of 146.43.
India secured their semi-final position with the assistance of their best four batters. The team is currently the first to advance to the knockout rounds as a consequence. Shami, who currently holds the record for most wickets India took in an ICC ODI World Cup, contributed significantly to this achievement. With only three innings remaining in the ICC World Cup 2023, he has amassed 45 runs in 14 innings. Two 5s and one 4 comprise his feat.
Having amassed 12 points through 6 wins in 7 games thus far, South Africa has nearly solidified its position in the quarterfinal round. The two remaining matches between Australia and New Zealand remain. The world will have a total of four competitors for the semis following those matches.
The match between Pakistan and New Zealand on November 4, 2023, is practically a knockout game. A winning team will be more likely to progress to the subsequent round. Likewise, the Australians’ match against the English team will be crucial for the constructed table. In the interim, India will strive to maintain its position atop the standings in order to conclude league matches as the dominant host.
Notably, both interesting matches of Aus vs. Eng and NZ vs. Pak are happening on November 4, 2023, which is the same day. All eyes of Indian fans are on November 5, 2023, when South Africa and hosts lock horns—the two most successful teams in the World Cup. Also read more on “ICC publishes ODI 2023 schedule“.
