India ended the league phase of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with nine wins on the trot after defeating Netherlands by 160 runs in Bengaluru on Sunday
Enjoying each other's company in a lively dressing room atmosphere has been possible due to good results and vice-versa is also true, said skipper Rohit Sharma after yet another clinical performance that took Indian team's victory count to nine on the bounce. India ended their World Cup league stage beating the Netherlands by 160 runs here on Sunday, and skipper Rohit described their campaign so far as a clinical one. (Highlights | Report | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
"We enjoy each other's company. We wanted to play with enjoyment on the field. We try to keep the atmosphere outside lively. The results do matter to keep the dressing room lively. We are playing in India, there will be expectation. We wanted to do the job at hand. It's one thing to talk about it but for everyone to buy into it is very important," skipper said after the game. Rohit's men topped the league standings with 18 points and face fourth-placed side New Zealand on November 15 in Mumbai in the first semi-final.
"Very pleased at how we've played in these nine games. Very clinical from game one to today," he added. The best aspect of India's campaign has been a total team performance where all eleven players have done their bit at some point or the other. "Different individuals have stepped up and put their hand up and done the job. Everyone wanted to take the responsibility. "We started the tournament four games in a row chasing, and then we had to bat first and the pacers did the job along with the spinners."
Rohit said his side never looked too far and took one game at a time. "Since we started the tournament, it was all about one game at a time. We never wanted to look too far ahead. It is a long tournament, 11 games in all if we go all the way," he said. "It was important to break it down and focus on it. We focused on one game. We are playing in different venues and play accordingly and that's what we did. Playing in different venues, it was a challenge. We adapted really well."
Rohit used himself, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill as bowlers against the Dutch. He and Kohli even took a wicket apiece. Asked if it was done with a plan in mind for next two games, Rohit said, "It is something that is always in our mind. We want to create those options in the team, today we had nine options. "This was the game we could have tried certain things. The seamers bowling those wide yorkers which was not needed but they did."
Iyer Was Determined Not To 'Throw Away Wicket'
Player of the match Shreyas Iyer, who hit 128 not out off 94 balls, said he was determined not to throw away his wicket this time. "I kind of had a deja vu. This had happened against Australia as well, and I threw my wicket and I came, but this time I wanted to come not out. I wanted to capitalise on the start.
"Wanted to pills I took for the cramps to kick in. Today it came and I am very happy. The scores I got in the last few days helped me." He said the wicket was playing tacky, a bit two paced. On the straight six he had hit during his magnificent innings, Iyer said, "I have worked a lot of those shots, especially in the nets. I was trying to hit straight, and keep my head down. "Get into a good position, and after that, it is a follow through of the bat that ends behind my shoulder."
India Showed Class With Bat: Edwards
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards conceded that the Indians "showed pure class with the bat". "They (India) soaked up the pressure. When you are three down with ten overs left, you are going to score some runs. We are a very young side. Lots of young sides in the setup. "They are as good a side going around. We will have to be a lot better going into theT20 World Cup next year. Playing to learn with that."
Asked about the future of the team after the World Cup, he said, "It's a little bit of a tricky one at the moment where we want to be. "We are pretty confident with the style we play. The tournament was always going to be tough. We have some training camps coming. Fixtures wise, I am not sure about that."