"Poetic to play his audacious reverse scoop to finish the game" - Fans react as India secure 8-wicket win vs IRE in 2024 T20 World Cup
Team India began their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket win against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, June 5. They are now at the top of the Group A points table.
Opting to bowl first, Arshdeep Singh wreaked havoc in the powerplay to send early jolts to the Irish side. Hardik Pandya then joined the party with a stunning delivery to clean up Lorcan Tucker before Jasprit Bumrah removed Harry Tector. Hardik chipped in with two more, while Bumrah picked up one more to skittle Ireland for 96 in 16 overs.
In reply, Indian batters looked out of sorts against the uneven bounce. Virat Kohli departed cheaply, while Rohit Sharma found his own after some early hiccups. The Indian skipper scored an excellent half-century before retiring hurt after getting hit on the shoulder. Rishabh Pant also gave a good account of himself and finished the proceedings with a six.
A section of fans were happy with India's performances and lauded the players for starting the campaign with a win. Here are some reactions:
On the other hand, a fan was unhappy with Indian batters, saying that they relied only on slogs. He said:
"PANTRAGEOUS SHOT to finish the chase.. To be Frank, disappointed with our batting approach (IMO) All players who batted today looked to slog, not rather rely on playing quality shots n scoring runs..This Mindset Couple of Clean hits from Rohit & Pant is nice though!"
Another fan pointed out the positives while also mentioning that the same wicket could be deadly against Pakistan bowlers. He wrote:
"Hardik bowling & Hittu na batting - Positives to take! But if the same pitch, could be deadly against Pakistan bowlers..."
"Clinical show by India starting the tournament with absolute dominance," wrote another fan.
"We will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this" - Indian captain Rohit Sharma
After a thumping victory, the Men in Blue will now prepare for the Pakistan clash, scheduled to take place at this venue on Sunday, June 9.
Speaking about the high-octane clash, Rohit asserted all 11 players will have to contribute against the Men in Green to return with two points.
"I don't know what to expect from the pitch, to be honest," Rohit said at the end of the game. "We will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this (for Pakistan game). This is going to be a kind of game where all XI of us will need to contribute."
The last time these two teams met in a T20 World Cup game, India defeated Pakistan by four wickets. They chased a target of 160 runs in Melbourne, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli.