In summary
India advanced to the 2023 World Cup semifinals as the first team.
In Mumbai on Thursday, India defeated Sri Lanka by a margin of 302 runs.
Mohammed Shami emerged as leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup.
This victory over Sri Lanka on Thursday at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium made them the first team to advance straight to the 2023 World Cup semifinals. With 14 points from 7 games, India leads the points table and is the only team in the tournament without a loss.
India are through to the semi-finals 🎉
A record win over Sri Lanka seals a top four spot 📝⬇️#INDvSL #CWC23https://t.co/G49WMgTuEc
— ICC (@ICC) November 2, 2023
Following Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, Shubman Gill (92), Virat Kohli (88), and Shreyas Iyer (82) led India’s 357 for 8. Subsequently, Mohammed Shami spearheaded an astounding display of India’s pace attack, destroying Sri Lanka for just 55 runs. In the ODI World Cup, Shami overtook Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath to become India’s top wicket-taker. He also tied Mitchell Starc’s record for the most five-wicket innings in a World Cup. While Zaheer and Srinath had finished with 44 wickets in World Cups, Shami needed just 14 matches to reach 45 wickets.
Following the destruction of the Sri Lankan top order by Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, Shami took just five overs to claim his second five-wicket haul of the tournament. India’s victory in one-day internationals stands as their greatest to date at 302 runs.
India has now advanced to the ODI World Cup semifinals for the fourth time in a row, following a disastrous 2007 campaign that ended in the group stages due to shocking losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. After winning the World Cup four years later at the Wankhede Stadium against Sri Lanka, directly went on to top the group in 2015 after going undefeated in six games. They then defeated Bangladesh in the quarterfinals before suffering a heartbreaking loss to Australia in the semifinals.
Mohammed Shami delivered a brutal spell to become India’s highest wicket-taker in the men’s @cricketworldcup 💪#INDvSL #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/orYRsqJG6z
— ICC (@ICC) November 2, 2023
In 2023, India has been equally clinical. They went to Mumbai to play Sri Lanka after winning against Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England. Following an outstanding batting display, India’s pacers were merciless and ruined Sri Lanka’s chase in the opening two overs of their innings.
Kusal Mendis asked India to bat, and with the pitch providing plenty of runs already, there was no way the home team’s potent hitters would miss out on filling their boots. Before Dilshan Madushanka became the first bowler from Sri Lanka to take five wickets in a World Cup since 2011, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer put country in an unbeatable position. Rohit Sharma was dismissed cheaply.
The leading run scorer in ODIs this year, Shubman Gill, has not had a great World Cup. Due to dengue, he arrived late to the tournament and reached his first-ever fifty in a World Cup match against Bangladesh. After a shaky start, Gill was at his best on Thursday when he joined Virat Kohli in adding an enormous 189 for the second wicket.
Watching Shubman Gill was enjoyable. He got a boundary and the open admiration of Virat Kohli for an off-side punch. The circumstances were ideal for the King of India’s batting lineup to tie his hero while a youthful successor laid the foundation for his own historic achievement. In order to tie Sachin Tendulkar for the most hundreds in the format, Virat Kohli was aiming for a record-tying 49th ODI hundred. On Thursday, that was not going to occur.
Shubman Gill failed to reach his first World Cup century, falling short at 92. It was the first time he had been out of an ODI since the 1990s. After two overs, Dilshan Madushanka’s slower ball outwitted Virat Kohli, bringing the Wankhede Stadium to yet another hush. Rejected for 88, Kohli was just 12 runs short of that elusive No. 49.
Shreyas Iyer, whose performance at number four was possibly the only weakness in India’s defence during this World Cup, emerged and produced a masterpiece. With his 82 off 56, he set the stage for India to amass a formidable total, and Ravindra Jadeja’s concluding strokes guided the hosts to an intimidating 357 for 8.
India’s pace trio utterly destroyed Sri Lanka’s chase. The first ball of the innings was struck by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj took three wickets in his opening two overs, and Mohammed Shami maintained his incredible run of form by taking his fourth wicket in his third over. It was among the worst performances by a full member nation in a World Cup game. After winning the Cricket World Cup qualifiers, Sri Lanka advanced to the World Cup; however, their appalling performance on Thursday was extremely disappointing.
Sri Lanka had demonstrated promise in the World Cup build-up. They had run India very close before defeating Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super 4s. Mohammed Siraj, who was on fire in Mumbai, completely stunned them in the championship match. To make matters even more challenging, India also included Mohammed Shami, who has proven to be unplayable in India’s first three games.
India, who are now guaranteed a spot in the semifinals, will play South Africa on November 5 at Eden Gardens.
