Here is mid-day's view on Sunday's epic encounter between India and West Indies in the ICC World Twenty20; while India's brilliance must be accepted, defending champs had a sorry figure
Amit Mishra celebrates the dismissal of Marlon Samuels with MS Dhoni (right) and Rohit Sharma in Dhaka yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
The Men in Blue came up with another dominating win, with bowlers taking centre-stage once again. Another fabulous overall bowling performance, and some sensible batting at the top was enough to get MS Dhoni's side home with two balls to spare.
Amit Mishra celebrates the dismissal of Marlon Samuels with MS Dhoni (right) and Rohit Sharma in Dhaka yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Bowlers on the money
There was a verbal battle between Suresh Raina and Darren Sammy when the Indian said this West Indian side has lots of boundary hitters but doesn't know how to rotate the strike. Sammy responded by saying 'stop us from hitting fours and sixes'. Well, India did. There were just nine fours and six sixes in a miserable West Indian innings, where as many as 66 dot balls were bowled.
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Outstanding Kumar
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar bowled an exceptional spell of swing bowling, conceding just three runs in three overs upfront. He beat Dwayne Smith on a number of occasions and was unlucky to have Gayle dropped at first slip. India conceded just 24 runs in the Powerplay overs.
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar
Spin trap
Dhoni gave the Caribbeans a heavy dose of spin, starting with Ashwin and then leggie Amit Mishra. Mishra was outstanding once again, giving away just 18 runs from his four overs and getting rid of Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo off back-to-back deliveries. Ashwin was spot on too.
Big over
The only dent in an otherwise outstanding bowling display came in the last over, when Jadeja kept bowling length balls and conceded 21 runs.
Kohli-Sharma show
After Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed in the first over of the chase, Virat Kohli and the other opener Rohit Sharma ran away with the chase with absolute ease. There was nothing alarming about the West Indian bowling. Samuel Badree dished out half-trackers at regular intervals, Sunil Narine started with a no-ball, and followed it up with a full-toss on the free-hit, while Dwayne Bravo began with a friendly full-toss and was flicked to mid-wicket boundary by Kohli. Without going even in third gear, Kohli completed his half-century in 34 balls. Sharma's was an even more relaxed one, coming off 42 balls. The duo added 106 runs for the second wicket, off 13.5 overs.
Worry factor
Yuvraj Singh's 19-ball 10 was as painful as Dwayne Smith's 28-ball 11. His selfish attempt to remain unbeaten, almost putting the team's cause on the line, was as frustrating as his dropped sitter of Chris Gayle at deep mid-wicket. Surely, India has got better options.
Yuvraj Singh's form is a cause for concern. Pic/AFP
India vs West Indies
India win by 7 wickets
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