India clinched their fifth win of the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2019 by defeating the West Indies by 125 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday. With this win, India remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament so far.
Virat Kohli’s men have been absolutely clinical with the way they have played their cricket and showed the world why they are number one ODI side in the world, at the moment. They have perhaps exceeded expectations in all the departments of the game to silence their critics.
Many factors make India arguably the best side of the tournament so far. Here is a look at some of them:
Best on the field
The Indian team is easily the best fielding team on the field. There is a healthy competition within the team not only to score more runs but also to save more runs. Players like Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli are among the best fielders of the world and their presence has motivated others too to give their best on the field.
It is India’s fielding which has enabled them to clinch their last couple of games against West Indies and Afghanistan – games where they hadn’t scored a match-winning total.
Efficient bowling unit
India’s bowling has been absolutely spot on too with their bowlers picking up wickets at crucial junctures of the game that has always kept the team ahead of the opposition.
Even when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was injured, Mohammed Shami filled his shoes perfectly and hasn’t let India feel his absence. In fact, Shami went on to pick up a hat-trick against Afghanistan and entered the record books en-route to India’s last-over win against the Afghans.
Jasprit Bumrah, the death bowling master and a couple of wrist spinners makes India’s unit one of the more efficient and diverse bowling unit in the tournament.
In-form captain
Indian captain Virat Kohli leads from the front on the ground. He is in no mood to let this Cricket World Cup (CWC) slip away. The right-handed batsman has scores of 18, 82, 77, 67 and 72 in this tournament and his golden run with the bat has helped him lead the side with a lot of confidence and bravery.
With an in-form Kohli leading this side, India look a far better side than many others in the competition.