Indian opener Shubman Gill revealed that he is still working on regaining full fitness after being sidelined for the first two matches of the 2023 Cricket World Cup due to dengue. However, that didn’t stop him from producing a stellar performance against Sri Lanka, scoring a run-a-ball 92 to help India secure a dominant 302-run victory and book their spot in the semifinals.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Shubman Gill said, “Not in full fitness. I am four kilos down from dengue in terms of mass and muscle weight. The odd ball was seaming and I hit the balls in my areas. You couldn’t get into a shell. I looked to put pressure on the bowlers. I felt in the previous matches I got starts except the last one. We thought about rotating the strike today. I honestly don’t think it was a 400 wicket. We batted well to get 350.”
Despite his illness, Gill showed no signs of weakness against Sri Lanka. He was aggressive from the start, hitting the ball with confidence and precision. He also displayed excellent game awareness, rotating the strike regularly and finding the gaps in the field.
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Gill’s innings was a fine example of his talent and maturity, and it bodes well for India’s chances in the rest of the tournament. Another star performer for India was pacer Mohammed Shami. He claimed a remarkable 5-wicket haul while conceding just 18 runs, surpassing Zaheer Khan’s record for the most World Cup wickets for India.
Mohammed Shami’s performance was a masterclass in swing and seam bowling, and he was ably supported by his teammates, who bowled Sri Lanka out for just 55 runs.
Speaking about his performance, Mohammed Shami said, “It’s very important to be in rhythm in white ball cricket and hit the good areas. If you hit the good areas with the new ball you will get assistance off the pitch and for me length matters a lot. We are bowling as a unit and that’s the result you are getting to see. I always try to bowl in good areas and be in good rhythm. In big tournaments, once the rhythm goes away, it’s very tough to get it back.”
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India’s victory over Sri Lanka was a comprehensive one, and it was a testament to their strength in depth. With Gill and Shami back in form, India will be one of the favorites to win the World Cup.
