Playing in front of a home crowd in familiar conditions does have its advantages and the Indian team was expected to shine bright in the 2023 ICC World Cup that they are hosting in its entirety. India is regularly counted among the title favourites in ICC as well as ACC events, and more so when matches are taking place on their turf.
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Few, however, would have expected Rohit Sharma’s men to dominate they way they have in the league stage of the World Cup, where they not only have won each of their nine matches so far and are currently the only team to not have lost a single match, but have done so in a ruthless manner.
Read | ‘Very clinical from game one till today’: Rohit on India’s WC journey so far
The latest get swatted aside was the Netherlands, whose World Cup journey came to an end with a 160-run defeat at the hands of what surely is among the most clinical teams ever assembled at cricket’s biggest event. And this was despite the fact that the Men in Blue weren’t functioning at the hundred per cent during Sunday’s clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the final league match of the tournament.
The Dutch had humbled the Proteas for the second time in as many meetings across ICC events and would have harboured faint hopes of pulling off an even greater upset against the Indians on Sunday.
Those slim hopes, however, quickly faded once India crossed the 300-mark after electing to bat; Rohit and Co would end up with more than 400 on the board and the result was a foregone conclusion by then.
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Unlike their meek surrender against Australia in Delhi, however, the Dutch did not go down without a fight against the Indians and ended up posting 250 on the board.
Looking back at the events of the 45th match of the tournament, we list some of the standout moments:
Rohit and Gill toy with Dutch attack
Skipper Rohit and opening partner Gill’s domination of the powerplay has been a key reason behind India’s tall scores — or their comfortable chases earlier in the group stage. The pair wasted little time in taking the attack to the Dutchmen, bringing up the fifty partnership in just six overs and blasting their way to 91 for no loss at the end of the first powerplay. The partnership would touch the century mark before Gill became the first Indian wicket to fall, departing for 51. Rohit too would bring up his half-century, collecting 64 off 51 balls that included two maximums.
Van der Merwe denies Kohli a milestone ton
Among the biggest talking points ahead of the match was the possibility of Virat Kohli breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI tons by bringing up an unprecedented 50th century in the format on Sunday. And the fact that he would have achieved the milestone at the Chinnaswamy, his adopted home ground, would have made the feat even more special.
Kohli started rebuilding the innings after Netherlands had removed both openers, and the decibel levels at the venue were starting to build after he brought up his 71st half-century at a steady pace. Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, however, would end up silencing the “Kohli” chants by cleaning up the batting superstar. Kohli departed for 51 as India lost their third wicket with exactly 200 on the board.
Iyer, Rahul guide Men in Blue past 400
Iyer and Rahul went about scoring runs at a steady pace after Kohli’s dismissal, guiding India to 284 at the end of the 40th over without losing another wicket. Having enough wickets in hand gave Iyer and Rahul the license to go for the kill in the final powerplay.
The acceleration would be particularly destructive from Rahul — who went from 37 in 31 deliveries to 102 off 64, bringing up the fastest World Cup hundred by an Indian along the way. Iyer was relatively sedate, bringing up his maiden World Cup hundred in 84 deliveries and staying unbeaten on 128 off 94.
India had produced one of its most clinical batting displays in recent memory with each member of the top five going past fifty, which surely is great news for their fans ahead of the knockouts.
Kohli and Rohit achieve rare feats
What was unusual in India’s approach with the ball against the Netherlands on Sunday was Rohit deploying a number of part-time bowlers, including Kohli as well as himself. Kohli and Rohit have collected bucket-loads of runs over the years with a number of centuries. For a change, however, the two would celebrate getting a wicket off their bowling on Sunday — a sight as rare as it can get in the current generation.
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Kohli would end up dismissing Netherlands skipper Edwards, who was caught down the leg side off a delivery that would have been called a wide as the Chinnaswamy, which had wife and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma in attendance, erupt in celebration. Rohit, meanwhile, got the honour of batting the winning wicket by having Nidamanuru caught at long on.
Nidamanuru fights back, delays the inevitable
Nidamanuru was the toast of Netherlands’ spirited performance with the bat on Sunday, smashing a 39-ball 54 against the country of his birth to help his side breach 250 before becoming the last batter to fall. The Andhra Pradesh native arrived at the crease after Jasprit Bumrah had cleaned up Bas de Leede with a lethal yorker. The Netherlands had lost their fifth wicket with 144 on the board, and the Indians were hoping to bowl them out for less than 200. Nidamanuru’s rearguard, however, ensured the Dutch finished with a more respectable score on the board even if they were ending up on the losing side.
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