In a resounding performance, the Indian cricket team maintained their dominant run in the ongoing edition of the World Cup, securing a convincing 100-run victory over England in Lucknow on a memorable Sunday.
This emphatic triumph owed much to the exceptional leadership of skipper Rohit Sharma, whose stellar innings of 87 runs from 101 balls shone brightly amidst a challenging two-paced pitch. While most Indian batters struggled to find their rhythm, Sharma’s innings anchored the team’s innings.
Suryakumar Yadav contributed a crucial 49 runs in the death overs, propelling India to a total of 229 for nine. However, it was the relentless duo of Mohammed Shami (4/22) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/32) who took center stage with the ball. Their superb performance left England floundering, as they managed a mere 129 runs before being bowled out in 34.5 overs. This defeat marked England’s fifth loss in six games and has all but dashed their hopes of making it to the semifinals.
In contrast, India, the only undefeated team in the tournament, now stands on the cusp of securing a spot in the semifinals. To defend their below-par total, India knew they needed early wickets to apply pressure on England’s struggling batting lineup.
Bumrah and Shami emerged as the catalysts of England’s downfall, reducing them to 39 for four within the first ten overs. Both bowlers consistently teased the batsmen with their Test match-length deliveries, and the English batters often found themselves playing and missing.
Bumrah, in particular, achieved a notable feat by dismissing Dawid Malan (16) and Joe Root (0) off successive deliveries, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick. Shami, too, made a double strike by clean-bowling Jonny Bairstow (14) and sending Ben Stokes (0) back to the pavilion. Stokes, attempting an aggressive shot, found himself in an awkward position and saw his stumps shattered.
Bumrah and Shami’s first spell statistics painted an imposing picture, with Bumrah recording 5-1-17-2 and Shami notching 4-0-5-2. Kuldeep Yadav joined the party by dismissing skipper Jos Buttler (10) with a mesmerizing delivery that turned sharply to crash into the stumps. Shami returned to the attack to claim his third wicket, sending Moeen Ali (15) back to the pavilion.
With the scoreboard reading 81 for six, England found themselves in an insurmountable predicament. Despite the presence of dew on the field in the evening, the Indian bowlers managed to maintain their effectiveness.
In the earlier stages of the game, India had the opportunity to bat first, a departure from their previous matches. However, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were the standout performers, adjusting to the challenging pitch’s two-paced nature. While other Indian batsmen struggled to force the pace, the 91-run partnership between Rohit and K L Rahul (39 off 58) provided stability after a rocky start.
Rohit also added a valuable 33 runs alongside Suryakumar Yadav. However, his dismissal led to a flurry of wickets, but India’s formidable performance with the ball ensured a comfortable victory in the end.