Harbhajan said that the performance showed the gap between India and other teams.© Instagram
India had a near-perfect game against Netherlands at the T20 World Cup on Thursday as the Rohit Sharma-led side won by 56 runs. Though Netherlands initially looked like putting up a fight with the ball, it fizzled out at the halfway stage of the Indian innings as three Indian batters – Rohit, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav – hit half-centuries. Netherlands could mamage only 123/9 in 20 overs. After the win, Harbhajan Singh, member India’s 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup-winning team, said that the performance showed the gap between India and other teams.
“Today was a great day. The batting was brilliant. The game went according to expectations. Well done to each and every member of the team. I anticipated the match to go this way. Virat got runs, Surya got runs, when runs are on the board it is important to show mirror to such teams that India are way ahead,” Harbhajan Singh said on Aaj Tak.
“That happened. The bowling went as per expectation,” he added.
In the match, Suryakumar Yadav bullied an inexperienced attack as the Indian team not for once took its foot off the pedal to thrash Netherlands for its second win. A target of 180, riding on half-centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma (53 off 39 balls), Virat Kohli (62 not out off 44 balls) and Surya (51 not out off 25 balls), was good enough for the Dutchmen who were never in the contest once India’s powerplay overs ended.
The ‘Orange Brigade’ huffed and puffed its way to 123 for nine in 20 overs as the relative slowness of the track post the Bangladesh-South Africa game effected its approach.
The Netherlands was the fourth team to bat on the track, and although there wasn’t any considerable wear and tear, it slowed down enough for Axar Patel (2/18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/21) to tighten the noose on the opposition batters.
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On expected lines, Mohammed Shami (2/9), Arshdeep Singh (2/37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/27) had an easy day at the office.
(With PTI inputs)
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