Shreyas Iyer, reflecting on India’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan, noted they could have won more convincingly, despite finishing with over seven overs remaining. He emphasized playing more aggressively earlier in the innings could have led to a quicker win. Iyer, who scored 56 runs, acknowledged the challenge posed by Pakistan’s legspinner Abrar Ahmed, praising his effective bowling. Iyer highlighted the importance of rotating the strike and adapting to the pitch conditions. He stressed that while attacking is key, patience is crucial to assess the ball’s pace, particularly on spinner-friendly wickets, before playing aggressively.
“I believe we could have secured the win a bit earlier. It would have been a more convincing victory.”
Throughout their chase of 242, India hardly looked troubled, and during the first innings, there was almost no time when Pakistan seemed capable of posting a challenging total.
“Had we played more aggressively, we might have clinched the win a bit sooner,” Iyer noted. He scored 56 runs off 67 balls.
Iyer had some commendable remarks.
“I think Abrar bowled exceptionally well. It was vital for me to endure that spell while also rotating the strike. It took some time, but once I settled in, I felt that the sweep and reverse sweep were effective strategies to put them under pressure. And I think that approach served me well.
“Taking charge against Abrar wasn’t straightforward. It was crucial to grab singles as often as possible and guide the team to the finish line. Once we crossed around 30 or 40 runs, it became easier to ramp up the scoring.”
This marks the second match India has played at this venue during the Champions Trophy; however, this pitch was different from the one they faced against Bangladesh. The bowlers who took pace off the ball added complexity to his innings.
“Attacking is essential, but it’s not always easy to come in and start hitting right away. You have to gauge the pace of the pitch and how the ball is reacting. Showing intent every ball can be challenging for a batsman, to be honest.”
Shreyas Iyer
“As we’ve seen, even from the last game we played here, the pitch tends to be a bit slow,” he remarked. “It’s definitely spinner-friendly. The combination of all their bowlers and the experience they bring adds significant clarity to their bowling.”
India was chasing a reasonable target, but Iyer’s start was a bit sluggish – he scored just 12 runs off the first 28 balls he faced.
“Attacking is vital, but walking in and immediately hitting the ball hard is not always feasible,” he explained. “You need to assess the pace of the wicket and how the ball is coming onto the bat. If you exhibit intent every ball, it can be tough for a batsman, to be honest.
“Taking a little time to understand how it’s coming to you and allowing the ball to do the talking is often the better way to proceed.”