England ended India’s unbeaten run in the ICC World Cup with a 31-run win at Edgbaston on Sunday. The victory also helped the hosts keep alive their hopes of advancing to the semifinals. Onmanorama picks five reasons for the Men in Blue's first loss in this edition of the showpiece.
Roy, Bairstow seize early momentum
After England captain Eoin Morgan elected to bat, onus was on the opening pair of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow to deny India early success. Roy, who returned to the side after a recovering from a hamstring injury, and Bairstow saw off the early spell of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. The two adopted an aggressive approach against leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who was introduced into the attack as early as the sixth over. England made 47/0 in the first powerplay of 10 overs and it set the platform for a huge total.
India err by not going for a review
Roy had a big slice of fortune when he was on 21 after Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar ruled him not out off Hardik Pandya’s bowling in the 11th over of the innings with the total reading 50. For once wicketkeeper M S Dhoni failed to spot the deflection and advised Indian captain Virat Kohli not to go for a review. However, TV replays revealed that Roy had indeed gloved the ball down the leg side. The fact that Dar had even adjudged the ball a wide may have tempted the Indians to believe there was no edge. Roy made the most of the reprieve and went on to smash 66 off 57 balls and put on 160 for the opening wicket in just 22.1 overs.
Chahal, Kuldeep taken to the cleaners
The Indian wrist spinners Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav had kept the opposition batsmen on a tight leash in their earlier games. How England handled the two spinners was going to be the key to them setting up a formidable total. Roy, Bairstow and Ben Stokes were not afraid to use the feet to the spinners and play their shots. The English batsmen attacked Chahal and Kuldeep from the word go. They used the conventional sweep and reverse sweep to good effect and made the most of the short, 59-metre boundary on one side of the ground. Kuldeep (72/1) and Chahal, who suffered his most expensive bowling figures (88/0) in a one-dayer, leaked 160 off their combined 20 overs and it upset the Indians’ gameplan big time.
Indian chase fails to gather pace
Chasing a mammoth target of 338, India needed to get off to a flier. However, opener K L Rahul departed for a duck and the English new-ball pair of Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer produced excellent spells up front. The in-form Rohit Sharma and Kohli failed to break the shackles as India could manage only 28 for the loss of Rahul in the first 10 overs. Woakes bowled three maidens in his first five overs and India managed only five boundaries in the first powerplay. This meant pressure mounted on the Indians and the asking rate soared.
Excellent death bowling
India’s gameplan was to keep the wickets in hand and go berserk at the death. India needed 104 runs off the final 10 overs with six wickets in hand. All eyes were on Pandya and Dhoni to cut loose and put the English bowlers under pressure. However, Woakes, Archer, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett kept their nerve and used the cutters to good effect on a two-paced track. Once Plunkett dismissed Pandya it was all over for India as Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav struggled against the variations of the home bowlers.
India could hit only one six in their entire innings, while England blasted 13. The Men in Blue, who donned for the first time an orange jersey as its away outfit, added only 72 in the final 10 overs for the loss of Pandya as England emerged comfortable winners. One got the impression that desperation was missing in the Indian camp unlike the English who looked the hungrier outfit on the day.
