Who said what: Top 5 expert reactions to India's 302-run win vs Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup ft. Hasan Raza
Team India confirmed their World Cup semi-final berth after beating Sri Lanka by a massive 302-run margin at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. The hosts are the first team to make it to the top four in the ongoing edition.
Asked to bat first, India lost Rohit Sharma in the first over. But Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill bailed the Men in Blue out with an 189-run partnership for the second wicket. Shreyas Iyer then provided a late flourish with a 56-ball 82 to help the team post 357/8.
In response, Sri Lankan batters had no answers to Indian seamers. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj began the proceedings before Mohammed Shami ran down the middle and lower order with a five-wicket haul.
India's dominant victory had everyone talking about their performance. On that note, let's take a look at the top five expert reactions to India's thumping victory over Sri Lanka on Thursday.
#1 "They were always going to qualify, let's face it" - Matthew Hayden
With a relatively easy win over Sri Lanka, Team India became the first team to book a semi-final berth in the ongoing ODI World Cup.
Speaking after the game on ESPNCricinfo, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden asserted that it was a known fact that the Men in Blue would qualify for the top four.
"I really believe that it's as much attitude as anything," Hayden said. "They were always going to qualify; let's face it. But tonight was a good opportunity to really flex your muscles. You've got a side that's wounded, and the pride of the lion was Mohammed Shami. Once that lion starts to roar, the lionesses come in and they just feed. That's exactly what happened."
#2 "Their onslaught could become impossible to stop" - Shoaib Akhtar
Team India have been ruthless so far in the ICC ODI World Cup. They are the only unbeaten team in the competition, winning all of their seven games. They occupy the top spot in the standings, two points clear of second-placed South Africa.
Speaking about India's dominant run, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar feels opposition teams would find it difficult to stop the 'onslaught' of the Men in Blue.
"India is becoming a ruthless side," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel. "Their onslaught could become impossible to stop. But my wish is that India should start celebrating their fast bowlers. Because today, there was excitement at every single ball in Wankhede."
#3 "They are winning everything because they are playing the best cricket" - Salman Butt
India's dominant run in the World Cup has raised several former Pakistan cricketers to come up with conspiracy theories.
Many spoke about the nature of wickets being used for India matches, while Hasan Raza claimed that ICC has been using different balls for the Men in Blue games.
However, former Pakistan batter Salman Butt refuted all those claims, calling them baseless. He further stated that India are winning because they have played dominant cricket in tournament so far.
"You can't stop people from saying such things," Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel. "But they are playing on different grounds. They haven't played two matches at the same venue. They have done well on both red and black soil. They have performed in all kinds of conditions. There's no point in discussing such baseless things. They are winning everything because they are playing the best cricket."
#4 "We haven't seen a better team than India in this tournament" - Aakash Chopra
Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra was also full of praise for the Men in Blue, saying no team have been better than India in the tournament so far.
Chopra remarked in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel:
"You have to keep praising the Indian team as they have reached the semi-finals. They have won seven out of seven games and become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals and let's be fair and honest, we haven't seen a better team than India in this tournament."
#5 "There needs to be an inspection done on the ball" - Hasan Raza
Former Pakistan cricketer Hasan Raza launched a scathing attack on the BCCI and ICC after Indian bowlers ran down the Sri Lankan batting.
Speaking to a news channel 'ABN', Raza claimed that there should be an investigation into whether the hosts are getting a different ball to that of the opposition.
"We are seeing that when they are batting, they bat really well and suddenly the ball starts doing things when India bowl," Raza said. "There have been seven to eight close DRS calls that have gone in their favor. The way Siraj and Shami were swinging the ball, it seemed like the ICC or the BCCI were giving them different balls in the second innings.
"There needs to be an inspection done on the ball. There could also be an extra layer of coating on the ball for swing."
Can India repeat their heroics from the 2011 World Cup? Let us know in the comment section.