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Team India batter Shreyas Iyer downplayed the fact that three Indian players got close to a hundred in the 2023 World Cup clash against Sri Lanka, but fell short of three figures. He admitted that missing out on centuries is discussed within the side, but added that team goals always come first.
India hammered Sri Lanka by 302 runs in the World Cup match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Batting first, the Men in Blue posted a mammoth 357/8 as Shubman Gill top-scored with a run-a-ball 92, while Virat Kohli contributed 88 off 94 and Shreyas 82 off 56. The Indian bowlers then bundled out Sri Lanka for 55 as the hosts sealed their berth in the semi-finals.
At a post-match press conference, Shreyas was asked about India’s set batters falling short of the three-figure mark. He responded:
“See, this is the stage where you play for the team. You don't play for your individual performance. We definitely discuss about missing out on centuries or half centuries, but going forward, say if we are put in the same situation, I would have to go after the bowlers, right? If I'm batting in the 47th or 48th over, I won't be thinking.”
On his dismissal to Dilshan Madhushanka after smashing two sixes, the 28-year-old credited the Sri Lankan pacer for bowling smartly.
“I was sighting the ball pretty well. It's just that I missed out on that particular ball. It was a little away from my body and Madhushanka was bowling brilliantly. The way he bowled with the new ball and also, he came in varying his pace, bowling slower ones here and there,” he stated.
“Talking about our performances, we definitely discuss, and a few balls here and there, I could have got to 100. But nonetheless, there are a few more matches to come. And hopefully, I'll be able to get one,” Shreyas asserted.
The right-handed batter struck three fours and six sixes in his excellent knock. With a 106-meter six, he claimed the record for the biggest six in the 2023 World Cup.
“It was a difficult ride to come out of an injury” - Shreyas
The Mumbai batter had a tough time recuperating from a back injury he suffered earlier this year, which kept him out of action for a few months. He thanked the trainers and physios for their role in getting him into shape.
"Yes, it was a difficult ride to come out of an injury, especially in terms of fielding. I wasn't able to move as I used to before. But the trainers and the physios, they worked pretty hard on me, especially in terms of recovering after the games, because 50 overs, it takes a lot of toll on your body," Shreyas said.
In 54 ODIs, the middle-order batter has scored 2017 runs at an average of 45.84, with three hundreds and 16 fifties.
