On Sunday, India’s spinner Kuldeep Yadav shared his perspective, stating that securing a win against a struggling England team at the World Cup “wasn’t particularly difficult,” though it marked a significant victory against the defending champions.
The host team extended their remarkable unbeaten streak to six games in the tournament, securing a convincing 100-run victory that essentially secured their place in the semi-finals.
India managed to amass a total of 229-9, thanks to a commendable team effort. Fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah then combined their efforts to dismiss the English side for a mere 129 runs in just 34.5 overs.
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Kuldeep expressed his viewpoint, saying, “To be honest, it’s always gratifying to win, especially when you defeat the defending champions.” He played a pivotal role in the victory, taking two crucial wickets, including that of England’s captain, Jos Buttler, who was bowled out for 10.
Kuldeep continued, “England hasn’t had a stellar tournament so far, so it wasn’t an exceedingly challenging task for us, considering they limited us to a score of around 230.”
The left-arm wrist spinner further added, “We knew that taking early wickets was crucial to stay competitive, and Jasprit and Shami executed that strategy brilliantly. Once England found themselves at four down for just 40 runs, our plan was to maintain precise bowling and induce mistakes.”
Mohammed Shami delivered impressive figures of 4-22, while Jasprit Bumrah secured three critical wickets, even coming close to a hat-trick at the beginning, significantly dismantling the opposition’s batting lineup.
It’s important to note that India faced a tough loss to England in the 2019 World Cup, a tournament in which England secured their first-ever trophy.
When asked to compare the 2019 England team with the current one, Kuldeep commented, “Conditions play a crucial role. They are a top-tier team and have consistently played excellent cricket over the years. The core of their team remains unchanged, so not much has evolved.”
