New Delhi, Mar 1:
With India winning three matches in a row, pacer R P Singh believes the defending champions have found form at the right time, sending out a warning signal to other teams in the ongoing ODI cricket World Cup.
Pool B table-toppers India humbled UAE to register their third straight win in the World Cup and virtually booked their quarterfinal spot.
After a lacklustre showing in the Test series against Australia and the tri-series that followed, India look a totally different side and RP could not agree more.
“India definitely looks like the team to beat in this World Cup so far and I am sure the other teams are watchful of this young Indian side,” RP, who is part of the commentary panel on Star Sports, told PTI after India’s nine-wicket win over UAE in Perth.
India’s clinical showing continued in their third match as the bowling, sans injured Mohammad Shami, proved quite a handful against an inexperienced UAE line-up and packed the minnows for 102 in 31.3 overs. RP was impressed with the efforts of the Indian seamers.
“I am impressed by some of the swing bowling by the Indian seamers today. It was particularly heartening to see that the bowlers were able to take help from the pitch,” the left-arm Uttar Pradesh pacer, who has represented India in 14 Tests and 58 ODIs, said.
Umesh Yadav, who started the wicket-taking, bagged two wickets from 6.3 overs and pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar got 1 from his 5. RP was impressed with the new-ball bowlers, who made their presence felt in Shami’s absence.
“Umesh Yadav was fantastic today, he made full use of the pitch conditions and left UAE batsmen stunned. Bhuvneshwar Kumar who was under pressure replacing the in-form Shami also delivered a great performance to his credit, especially with his outswingers,” RP, who last represented India in 2011 against England, said.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin though was the pick of the Indian bowlers, bagging four wickets on a bouncy WACA pitch as left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with two scalps.
Earlier, India had got past arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter at the Adelaide Oval and then inflicted an embarrassing 130-run loss against South Africa in their second ODI.
The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side faces West Indies in its next fixture, who are in complete opposite run of form after their heavy loss against the Proteas recently. (PTI)
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