Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to India's win over England in the 2023 World Cup ft. Wasim Akram
India won their sixth game in a row in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 by beating England at the Shri Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday.
The Men in Blue seemed to be in a spot of bother early on in their innings when they lost a few wickets in quick succession but skipper Rohit Sharma and middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav steadied the ship for them.
India managed to get some respectability with the score of 229 that they eventually put up, but things seemed to be challenging for them given how strong the English batting order promised to be.
However, things took a turn for the good when Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah put in a stellar showing with the ball in hand to skittle England out for just 129 in the 35th over itself.
The Three Lions never looked challenging to India and the result was visible to everyone. Experts and pundits from across the globe seemed to be connected in their jubilation over this win that ensured India remained at the top of the table.
In this listicle, we bring to you five such reactions from experts across the globe:
#5. Aakash Chopra - "If Rohit Sharma had got out early, the story would have been embarrassing."
Former India opener Aakash Chopra, who is an expert commentator now, harped in on the weight that skipper Rohit Sharma carries for this Indian side. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra spoke eloquently on how important it was for Sharma to carry on and play the knock that he did to set up a respectable total for his team.
"When the cameras' focus is a lot more on one player, a lot of people go into the background. It has happened with Rohit Sharma for a long time that the focus wasn't on him. His performances used to come for sure but almost like a side dish. But he is the main gravy, he is the guy," said Chopra.
"He has seven centuries in World Cups. If you see this match, you will find that there was no way India would have come even close in the match without his 87. India were three down for nothing. If Rohit Sharma had got out early, the story would have been embarrassing, you wouldn't have scored even 150," he added.
#4. Misbah-ul-Haq - "The skipper played a critical role in winning this game for India."
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was another expert who admired the role that Rohit Sharma played for India on Sunday. Speaking to the Pakistan news channel A Sports, Misbah said that Sharma's disciplined batting approach was the key to India getting to the total that they did. This, in turn, helped the bowlers in the side too.
"Extraordinary batting from Rohit Sharma on such a challenging surface. He managed to both anchor and put pressure on the English bowlers. He ensured that the game did not get out of hand for India. The skipper played a critical role in winning this game for India. Rohit respected the conditions and then landed the punches at the right time," said Misbah.
#3. Michael Vaughan - "Rohit Sharma basically gave a message to the dressing room that there is no pressure."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan veritably got into raptures when speaking to Cricbuzz about the impact that Rohit Sharma had. India played fantastic cricket overall to beat England, but Sharma's role cannot be discounted. Vaughan also said that England got their combinations wrong.
"Rohit Sharma's basic attitude is to be aggressive. However, he realised that this pitch was unlikely to be easy to bat upon. He always had the boundary option in his mind but he knew that his team was under some pressure. He batted with a lot of discipline and determination to ensure that his team had a decent total on the board. He basically gave a message to the dressing room that there is no pressure," said Vaughan.
#2. Moin Khan - "There is healthy internal competition in the Indian side."
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who sits on the panel of experts in the show The Pavilion on the Pakistani news channel A Sports, spoke highly of the competition that is rife in the Indian side. If not for such competition, India would not have been able to churn out such performances on a regular basis, he said.
"There is healthy internal competition in the Indian side. This is the key to the success for any team. Suryakumar Yadav proved the point today. It is very important to get the wickets of such players early on in their innings, or else they can go on and wreak havoc upon you. As for the bowling department, India bowled in partnerships, and that is what worked for them. It is just as important to form partnerships while bowling as it is to do with the bat in hand," said Moin.
#5. Wasim Akram - "India showcased why they are the best team in this World Cup."
Pakistan great Wasim Akram, who is one of the key panellists of the sports show The Pavilion on the Pakistani news channel A Sports, was all praises for the dedication shown by former Indian cricketers behind the scenes. He also praised the strong domestic structure that India have for their excellent showing in this World Cup.
"A lot of India's former players have contributed immensely to the domestic structure in India. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have all played big roles in the development of cricket in the country, and the result is there for all to see. Dravid is a great of the game, but he has no ego, and this is what I admire so much about him," said Akram.
"India fought back with immense quality, and showcased why exactly they are the best team in this World Cup. India's bowling attack appears to be the best in the tournament by some distance. England fielded well but they did not quite seem up to the task that India put to them when the former started batting," he added.