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I was there at Wankhede and it was incredible to see the fast and furious Indian pacers

Nobody would want to face the music from the hostile Indian bowlers under the lights in the World Cup

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India's Mohammed Siraj celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama. — AFP

By Anis Sajan

Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 10:19 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 10:20 PM

I was at the Wankhede Stadium to see the India-Sri Lanka game for two reasons — one this is where 12 years ago India had won their second World Cup title (I was lucky to be at the stadium that night and the six of MS Dhoni still gives goosebumps) and secondly wanted to see India's approach and game plan as this is where India would play the semifinal unless Pakistan make it to the semifinals.

If Babar Azam's team earn the right to play India in the semis, then the home team will play that game in Kolkata.

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On Thursday, the atmosphere was electric at the stadium. Coming to the game, I wanted India to bat first even though Wankhede is a good chasing ground simply because of the heat which was 35 degrees in the afternoon and more importantly India was not that good batting first in the last game against England.

And luckily Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to put India in.

And when Dilshan Madushanka got Rohit Sharma with a peach of a delivery, India needed stability which is what Virat Kohli gave along with Shubman Gill.

What was heartening to see was Gill getting big runs along with Shreyas Iyer, which was missing, and India did post a sizeable total of 357 in 50 overs.

None of the Indian batters went on to get a hundred and this was due to very fine bowling by Madushanka who foxed both Kohli and Gill with slower balls and eventually picked up five wickets.

But Sri Lanka came out to bat, it was mayhem. Indian fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami were bowling as if it was a green top in England where the ball was moving around and all the batsmen were at sea.

It was a sight to behold as normally India is a side known mainly for their batting, but this is World Cup the Indian fast bowlers are a class apart, blowing away every opposition.

They have bowled immaculate test match lengths, drawing the batsman forward and were either getting them caught behind the wickets or bowled and leg before.

Mind you this is white ball cricket and the swing found by Indian bowlers was 3.5 degrees which is credit to all the three Indian fast bowlers.

It seemed every ball would get you a wicket and Sri Lankan batsmen had no answer to their guile even though their batsmen were trying to defend.

It's very rare that you see such high-class fast bowling, and this would create doubt in every opposition who will face India in the rest of the games.

India had won their first five games chasing.

But in the last two games, the Indian bowlers have decimated the rival teams — Sri Lanka and England — under lights.

While England were bowled out for 129, Sri Lanka slumped to 55 all out.

Opposition captains would now definitely not put India in if they win the toss.

Nobody would want to face the music from the hostile Indian bowlers under the lights.

Anis Sajan

Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 10:19 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 10:20 PM

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