Indian pacers have been breathing fire with the new ball in the ongoing ICC World Cup.
Mohammad Shami (16), Jasprit Bumrah (15) and Ravindra Jadeja (14) have amassed 45 wickets in total which has made them the fiercest pace bowling trio in the tournament.
It's worth noting that only two teams have managed to bat out their full 50 overs against India in the tournament's first eight games, highlighting India's formidable bowling attack and ability to restrict their opponents effectively.
MORE: Bet on Cricket World Cup matches here!
Heavyweights South Africa's strong batting lineup was dismissed for just 83 runs which was another statement from the Indian team. However, Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the hero with a fifer on a turning Eden Gardens' track.
Jasprit Bumrah, although he didn't take any wickets, played a crucial role by maintaining a tight economy rate of 2.80 in his five overs. His ability to build pressure on the South African team contributed to India's strong performance.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj made a significant impact by dismissing the dangerous Quinton de Kock, a crucial wicket for India. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami continued his impressive form in the World Cup by taking the wickets of Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram.
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What did Shoaib Akhtar say?
This prompted Shoaib Akhtar to laud the Indian pace battery and he said: "Credit goes to the bowlers as they are performing brilliantly. It’s high time that you start regarding Indian pace bowlers as you do it for the batters basically. It’s time to celebrate fast bowling in Indian cricket because they have done a wonderful job in the last three to four matches and they are looking apart."
Wasim Akram explains the dynamics of the Indian bowlers
Another Pakistani great, Wasim Akram, delved deep and explained how a change in wrist position is helping Indian bowlers swing both ways with the new ball.
"These guys believe they are the best in the world. They have the confidence and hence the hard work over the years is paying off. Shami always has a straight seam. It is not a wobbly seam. It kisses the pitch but does not bang it. His wrist does not break and it comes down straight.
"Ben Stokes had no clue. Shami bowled all the deliveries that were swinging outside but the last ball he bowled an inswinger and the stumps were flat. His length and seam position remain almost the same, sometimes off (stump) and sometimes top of off.(stump). That is why he is so difficult. Whereas, Bumrah uses his wrist to swing the ball. Shami uses the seam. Moreover, Bumrah has pace as well,' he explained.
Legendary pacer @wasimakramlive demonstrates the wrist position to swing both ways and how the Indian pacers are bossing the art.#ASportsHD #ARYZAP #CWC23 #ThePavilion #MoinKhan #ShoaibMalik #FakhreAlam #MisbahulHaq #ENGvNED pic.twitter.com/rc3LnJWILX
— ASports (@asportstvpk) November 8, 2023
Who will win the 2023 World Cup?
India and Australia are among the favourites for the 2023 World Cup title. The odds from Dafabet are as follows.
| Team | Odds (Dafabet) |
|---|---|
| India | 2.00 |
| Australia | 4.50 |
| South Africa | 5.50 |
| New Zealand | 10.00 |
| Pakistan | 21.00 |
| Afghanistan | 67.00 |
Think you know who will win the 2023 Cricket World Cup? Place your bets here with Dafabet!
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