On a Tricky Pitch, Axar Patel Shines as India KO Defending Champions England
In a stop-start match on a challenging pitch, India’s Axar Patel stepped up with both ball and bat to help his team knock out the defending champions England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Batting first, India posted a total of 172, which their captain Rohit Sharma, the top scorer, felt was “10-15 extra” runs on a surface that was difficult for batting. When England’s chase began, Axar was entrusted with the ball in the fourth over, and his captain had already warned him that the pitch was keeping low and skidding, making it hard to play big shots.
Axar’s mindset was to keep things simple and not do anything “extraordinary,” knowing that the England batters would likely go after him early on. That’s exactly what happened, as Axar dismissed England captain Jos Buttler with his very first delivery, getting him to pop up a reverse sweep to the wicketkeeper. He then went on to dismiss Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali in consecutive overs, leaving England reeling at 46 for 4.
“My plan was to make it difficult for them, force them to think of playing some other shots, and that’s what happened on the first ball.”
- Axar Patel
Axar’s remarkable spell of 3 for 23 earned him the Player-of-the-Match award. He explained his thought process, saying, “My plan was to make it difficult for them, force them to think of playing some other shots, and that’s what happened on the first ball.”
While batting at number eight, Axar also observed that the England bowlers were taking the pace off the ball, making it difficult to hit them away. He used that information to plan his own bowling, focusing on pitching the ball up and not giving the batters any pace to work with.
Axar’s performance on a tricky pitch was a key factor in India’s victory over the defending champions. The article highlights his ability to adapt to the conditions and execute a smart game plan, showcasing his all-round skills and importance to the Indian team.
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