Captain Rohit Sharma expressed his elation as India continued their victorious streak in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 by clinching consecutive wins while defending formidable scores. The team's unbeaten run further added to Sharma's joy, as he shared his thoughts during the post-match presentation following India's resounding victory over Sri Lanka, where they triumphed by a monumental 302 runs, maintaining their perfect record of seven wins in seven matches.
Sharma's delight was palpable as he acknowledged the accomplishment of their primary objective: securing a berth in the semifinals. He emphasized, "I'm very happy knowing we have qualified for the semifinals, this was the first goal. But how we approached the seven games has been quite clinical, and a lot of individuals have put in the effort, put their hands up and stood up."
Reflecting on their recent performances, particularly the back-to-back triumphs against England and Sri Lanka, Sharma commended the prowess of their seamers. He noted that when favorable conditions for seam movement are on offer, their bowling unit is particularly lethal.
The match against Sri Lanka saw Mohd Shami shining with figures of 5-18, while Mohd Siraj contributed with 3-18, orchestrating Sri Lanka's collapse to a mere 55 runs in 19.4 overs. India's formidable batting display, led by impressive half-centuries from Shubman Gill (92), Virat Kohli (88), and Shreyas Iyer (82), propelled them to a commanding total of 357/8 in 50 overs.
Sharma expressed appreciation for the challenge of setting a substantial target while batting first. He emphasized the importance of such a template for posting significant scores and lauded the batsmen for achieving that, as well as the seamers for their exceptional performance.
Shreyas Iyer received special recognition from Sharma for his pivotal role in strengthening India's innings, particularly after the quick dismissals of Gill and Kohli. Sharma commended Iyer's mental strength and his ability to take on the opposition, emphasizing the hard work he has put into improving his game.
Looking ahead, Rohit Sharma expressed anticipation for India's upcoming encounter with South Africa, a team that has also been in splendid form in the World Cup. With South Africa winning six of their seven matches and securing the second spot on the points table with 12 points, Sharma acknowledged the challenge but remained confident, stating, "They're playing some good cricket, so are we, so it's going to be a good game."
(With agency inputs)
