Twitter Reactions: Clinical India prove too good for the Windies in Manchester

India have thumped the Windies to remain unbeaten in the ongoing World Cup. The massive 125-run victory has boosted their net run-rate as well and their semi-final qualification has almost confirmed now and needs only a solitary win to guarantee a top-four spot. It was complete teamwork from India at the Old Trafford as the batsmen first just posted enough runs on the board courtesy half-centuries from Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni coupled with Hardik Pandya’s blitz and then the bowlers did their job perfectly.

Chasing the par total of 269 runs, the Windies were rocked early with Chris Gayle getting out only in the fifth over of the innings to Mohammed Shami. The same bowler delivered a classic inswinger to castle Shai Hope and the Caribbeans never recovered from the early blows. Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Ambris stitched a 55-run stand but it was way too slow and the pressure kept piling on them.

It was only a matter of time when a wicket fell and then they collapsed. Windies were 71/2 at one stage and were bundled out for just 143 in the 35th over itself. With this loss, the Windies have become the third team to be knocked out of this World Cup. While Shami and Jasprit Bumrah picked three wickets each, Yuzvendra Chahal shined with the ball picking up two scalps.

Kohli, Dhoni and Pandya propel India

Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli reckoned the pitch will get slow as the game progresses and opted to bat first. Rohit Sharma got out to under controversial circumstances in the sixth over of the innings after the Indian skipper and KL Rahul steadied the innings. The 59-run stand was broken by Jason Holder with a brilliant delivery which castled the latter on 48.

Vijay Shankar couldn’t do much batting at number four again while Kedar Jadhav also failed as both of them were sent back by Kemar Roach. At 140/4, India were in a spot of bother even as Virat Kohli was going strong. MS Dhoni joined him and though the run-scoring was slow during this period, it gave the team an assurance. Meanwhile, Kohli notched up the fourth consecutive half-century of the World Cup.

But he failed to judge the pace of Holder’s short delivery and was dismissed on 72. From here on, MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya stitched a game-changing 70-run partnership to propel India to a par total. Pandya scored 46 off just 38 deliveries while Dhoni farmed strike in the final over to score 16 runs and also remained unbeaten on 56 runs. India ended up with 268 runs on the board after 50 overs and the score proved more than enough for the opposition.

Here’s how Twitter reacted during the match: