ICC World Cup 2019 | Knew playing five bowlers against Bangladesh was a gamble, says Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli admitted that playing five bowlers in Tuesday’s clash against Bangladesh was a gamble that the team took but he added that it was done keeping the ground dimensions in mind. Mashrafe Mortaza lamented his side’s missed opportunities as they fell to a 28-run defeat at Edgbaston.
Virat Kohli & Co. secured a spot in the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019 with a game to spare after defeating Mashrafe Mortaza-led Bangladesh by 28 runs at Edgbaston on Tuesday. Rohit Sharma starred with the bat to score his fourth century of the tournament as Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya picked a total of seven wickets amongst themselves.
Kohli admitted that playing five bowlers was a risk that the team management was willing to take due to the field dimensions at Edgbaston.
"Bangladesh have played some really good cricket in this tournament. Even till the last ball was bowled, they batted with intended. It's good to have 'Q' (qualified) on the points table now. This will keep us in a good frame of mind going into the semi-finals. (Five bowlers) Look, we experienced that Hardik, when put under pressure, has come back really well. He's really looking forward to do stuff for the team. He has a gut feel of what the batsman is looking to do. I know five bowlers was a gamble, but it was keeping in mind the ground dimensions. We wanted to play the perfect combination for the small boundary," Kohli said at the post-match interview, ESPNCricinfo.
Kohli, who was dismissed for 26 yesterday, heaped praise on India opener Rohit Sharma who is now the leading run-getter at the ICC World Cup 2019 being played in England.
"(On Rohit) I have been watching it for years now. He's the best One-day player around and we are so delighted to see him. When he plays like that, everybody is happy to see him strike this so well. (On Bumrah) His overs were always going to be crucial, so that's why we stopped him after four initially. He's a world-class bowler and he just knows what he's up against. We can look to capitalise on situations where we are in a position to score those extra 30 runs. Very happy with the way the team has played so far. Thank you - the fans have been magnificent," Kohli added.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza rued his side’s missed opportunities in yesterday’s loss which condemned the Bangla tigers to another disappointing loss at the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019.
"This was a good effort, but we had to win this match. (On partnerships) If one of them could have been 80-90, it could have been a different match, but 47-50 is asking a bit much. We could have had a bit more luck, but Shakib Al Hasan has been in superb form, and Mushfiq has batted beautifully. Rohit's catch was obviously disappointing, but those things happen in the field. (On Pakistan game) We have played our best, and fans have been fantastic. Hopefully, we will end on a good note," Mortaza added.
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