In a stunning display of cricket prowess, India continued its undefeated streak at the 2023 World Cup with a resounding 100-run victory over defending champions England in Lucknow on a Sunday. The English team, chasing a target of 230, crumbled under the relentless pressure exerted by the Indian bowling unit, managing to score only 129 runs in 34.5 overs.
This remarkable victory was fueled by a collective performance from the Indian bowlers, with Mohammed Shami leading the charge with a four-wicket haul, while Jasprit Bumrah claimed three crucial dismissals. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav also made his mark with two wickets, and Ravindra Jadeja contributed by taking one.
The English batting order found itself in disarray, as three key players, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Mark Wood, were sent back to the pavilion without scoring a run. The passionate Indian fans, who turned out in full force to support their team, played an essential role in creating a charged atmosphere in the stadium, akin to having a “12th man” on the field.
Following the match, former England captain Paul Collingwood expressed his admiration for the enthusiastic Lucknow crowd, referring to them as India’s invaluable “12th man” in the tournament. He remarked, “Yeah, look, it’s kind of wow, isn’t it? When you’re watching it here, almost in disbelief of what’s going on, and the Indian bowlers say, We’re absolutely relentless, the lines and the lunch once they, got that first wicket and you heard the crowd. And when you can hear the crowd on TV, there’s obviously an amazing atmosphere there, and it’s almost like having the 12th man.”
Collingwood also lavished praise on Kuldeep Yadav, considering his dismissal of Jos Buttler as “probably the ball of the tournament.” The delivery that dismissed Buttler occurred in the 16th over of England’s run-chase when Kuldeep pitched a short ball outside off, and Buttler attempted to steer it to the off side. However, he failed to make contact, and the ball sneaked through the gap between his bat and pad to shatter the stumps. Buttler walked back to the pavilion after scoring just 10 runs off 23 balls, and England was reeling at 52/5. Kuldeep struck once more in the 30th over to dismiss Liam Livingstone, who had scored 27 runs.
“And I just thought the ball is once they got England’s first wicket, they just didn’t give them a sniff. After that, I thought about the accuracy, the skill level, that we get movement out of the pitch, and then you thought maybe the spinners would come on and maybe they’ll just stick it on, but no cold. Kuldeep comes up with probably the ball of the tournament to Jos Buttler,” Collingwood added.
In the initial innings, India posted a total of 229/9 in 50 overs, courtesy of a brilliant performance by Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain showcased his exceptional skills by scoring 87 runs from 101 balls, featuring 10 boundaries and three sixes.
During his innings, Rohit Sharma also reached the milestone of 18,000 runs in international cricket. His remarkable tally includes 3,677 runs in Tests, 3,853 in T20Is, and 10,570 in ODIs, along with 45 centuries and 98 half-centuries. India’s victory and Rohit’s impressive milestone have left cricket enthusiasts around the world in awe of their incredible talent and determination.