With a thumping K L Rahul six over long-on, India leapt over their biggest hurdle in the 50-over ICC tournaments — Australia. The margin of victory — by four wickets and 11 balls to spare to fix the summit clash on Sunday — doesn’t capture the clinical outmuscling and outwitting of the World Champions. The victory was also the last stroke of embarrassment for Pakistan. First the host nation crashed out in humiliating fashion, and now, with India in the final, Dubai gets to host the title contest.
The chief protagonist of India’s semi-final win was Virat Kohli, who composed a familiarly scientific 84 in chase, and en route completed 8,000 runs when hunting down targets alone. But it was also a triumph of collectivism, with a resourceful ensemble cast performing their roles to perfection, so much so that their contributions were as significant as Kohli’s in the larger context of the game.
Kohli’s mastery of the ODI format has reached a stage where he now virtually bats on autopilot mode, without any undue stress. He detailed the essence of his knock that consumed 98 balls and was studded with five fours: “My timing, my composure at the crease, I wasn’t rushed. The singles that I took were the most pleasing part for me.”
While the match will be remembered for Kohli’s knock, the contributions of the support acts cannot be forgotten. Mohammed Shami bowled with precision and penetration, providing breakthroughs in critical junctures of the game. Steve Smith looked in sublime touch before the low full toss that cleaned him up and broke a 54-run stand between him and the enterprising Alex Carey.
The dismissal may appear like fortune, but it clearly was not. Smith was looking to back away and ping the vacant sweeper cover; so Shami kept the ball at the stumps and beat him with pace. His perfect lengths and the wicket of Cooper Connolly, the opener, set the game’s tone for India. He hurried batsmen, hustled them and injected a sense of dread. He has ensured that India would not miss their injured talisman Jasprit Bumrah.
His new-ball partner Hardik Pandya had an unrewarding day, but such is the quality and depth of India’s bowling that if one bowler endures a bad day, the others compensate. Whenever India needed a hero, someone put their hands up and delivered.
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Ravindra Jadeja, with a mysteriously underrated ODI-career, suffocated Australia’s batsmen with disciplined lengths, finishing his over in the blink of an eye and pounding the same spot repeatedly. He got the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis, two batting pillars of the world champions, thus putting the squeeze in the middle overs. Australia would have been tired of seeing him, for he pounced from nowhere to thwart straightforward singles. He is 36, but remains the spunkiest fielder among his colleagues.
The spin trio of Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav rallied around him to guarantee that Australia never ran away with the match, as they often do. The choice in bowling is covetous. “That is something I really wanted, to have six bowling options and then batting till No. 8 as well,” captain Rohit Sharma would tell the host broadcasters. “This is something we discussed while making the squad. Credit to everyone involved. When you have six bowling options, you can choose from anyone you want,” he said.
As did India’s batsmen in the chase with a raft of vital contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Axar and Rahul. Nowhere in the chase did India panic. There was a phase when boundaries dried up. But Kohli did not worry. “This game is all about pressure. If you go deep into the game, the opposition usually gives in. It is important to control your impulses. Even if the run rate is six an over, I am not bothered,” he explained.
Even after Kohli got out, distraught that he did not wrap up the chase, India denied Australia any chance of a comeback. When the run-rate began to breathe down India’s nerves, Hardik Pandya effectively sealed the game with a pair of sixes off Adam Zampa in the 48th over. In pursuit of a quick finish, Pandya too held out, but Rahul remained unflustered. The experience of the batting line-up, too, is intimidating. Few teams have the luxury of someone as battle-hardened as Jadeja batting at No 8.
Rohit could also be thrilled that everyone is in top form. “When you want to play the final, you want all your guys in form. That is something that gives us a lot of confidence,” he said.
A case could be made that this was Australia’s least competent bowling attack in recent times, most of the regulars and back-ups injured. Nonetheless, India has cleared a psychological hurdle, and the elusive 50-over ICC trophy is within touching distance.
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