In the 33rd match of the ODI World Cup 2023, India thrashed Sri Lanka by 302 runs. After batting first, Indian batters outplayed the inexperienced Sri Lankan bowling line-up. Openers Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer hammered beautiful half-centuries, while pacers Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah outplayed the Sri Lankan batting line-up.
With this victory, India became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the ongoing tournament. The team has won seven out of seven games and is the only unbeaten team in the ongoing marquee event. However, this game also served as a platform for some players to prove their worth in the XI. So, here are the top 3 takeaways from the iconic clash.
#3. Stability in middle order
With this victory, India tested its middle order too. As skipper Rohit Sharma failed to provide a great platform, opener Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli had a 189-run partnership for the second wicket. Continuing their efforts, middle-order batters like KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer also scored runs and didn’t let the run rate drop. This has enhanced India’s ability to post formidable targets while batting first in the format.
#2. Mohammad Siraj’s comeback
After an outstanding batting performance, the Indian team had great bowling performances too. Starting from Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Shami, all Indian pacers have been phenomenal throughout the game. However, the biggest outcome from the bowling unit was Mohammad Siraj’s comeback. Siraj, who had a mediocre performance in the last six games, took three wickets and had an outstanding outing. This will surely cover up a loophole in India’s bowling attack.
#1. Negligible impact of the toss
In the ongoing tournament, the toss has been the game-decisor, as teams know that the due date will come and have an impact on the game. However, an Indian team with an outstanding batting and bowling performance has changed the narrative. In the last two games, the team had bowled amazingly under lights, which made due’s impact almost negligible in the game. This will surely help the Indian team in the playoffs, where uncertainties will not trouble the team management’s preparations.