Birmingham: Riding on Jonny Bairstow's hundred and clinical bowling England handed India 31 runs defeat here at Edgbaston on Sunday. England batting first posted 337 for 7 on the board in 50 overs. India, in reply, managed to score 306 for 5 in 50 overs.
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India's defeat meant Pakistan's semifinal hope suffered a major blow. While Rohit Sharma's third ton of this World Cup went in vain, Hardik Pandya scored 45 off 33. However, Kedar Jadhav and MS Dhoni's approach to the chase raised eyebrows. With wickets in hand, Dhoni decided to keep taking singles and went for big shots in the last two overs of India's innings.
With India were required 71 off last 5 overs there were hardly any big shots in the final over. India managed to amass only 39 runs in 5 overs.
Following India's 31 runs defeat former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali slammed the player for his slow innings while praising Rohit, Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
While speaking to a local Pakistan news channel, Ali said, "If you are chasing 337 runs and in the first 10 overs you only make 28 runs in which two fielders are in the outer circle, then according to me India played those 10 overs really bad."
Basit Ali also alleged that Indian batsmen were enjoying a picnic on the field.
"They had a picnic on the field. The batsmen were just making sure they were in good form. Rohit Sharma scored a century at his own time so did Virat Kohli score his 66 so leisurely. It was just Pandya who was hitting and scored 45 off 33 balls."
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Ali also heaped praise on Sharma and Kohli for their innings.
"No doubt England's score was a strong base for their fielding. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played very well. But the player whose game I enjoyed the most was Rishabh Pant. He made only a few runs, but he played his first World Cup match. Our senior Pakistani players should learn from Pant".
"Chasing 337 is a huge target, but the first six came only in the last over while one side of the boundary was just 60 yards. Whereas England hit 13 sixes," Basit Ali concluded.
