[KL01toKA03]

On a lighter note, if team India wins the final, it would be the first T20 or ODI world cup win without Sreesanth. If we lose the final, then I recommend hiring Sreesanth as the bowling coach.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

On a lighter note, if team India wins the final, it would be the first T20 or ODI world cup win without Sreesanth. If we lose the final, then I recommend hiring Sreesanth as the bowling coach.

I am sure Sreesanth was not part of the 1983 ODI world cup win

[KL01toKA03]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

I am sure Sreesanth was not part of the 1983 ODI world cup win

He was born in 1983

[Mik]

Quite liked how NZ gave a bit of a pressure in the middle overs to test our mettle. Initially, it felt that the team had lost intensity. However, Shami dished out some cold cut revenge and fished us out of the tight spot.
That being said, I feel the Aussies will be a bigger challenge (assuming SA upholds its time honoured tradition of choking and dropping world cups ) and India would not be able to afford to slack off.
Shall be a worthy final.
Renewed my love for cricket after ages.

[dust-n-bones]

What a great victory, and a sharp contest that deserved the occasion! Enough has been said about it, so I have a couple of points sideways:

• The tournament format (round-robin group stage, and then knock-outs) is unfair to teams who perform consistently all through like India. They've done the hard yards all through, and can be eliminated by a distant 4th team on a bad day. ICC should consider an NBA like play-off stage. The flipside is that it makes a loong tail to an already long tournament, in a stage when most teams and fans have already tuned out.
  
• Our spectators in the stadiums aren't matching up to the great match-day presence and humility shown by our cricketers. If Virat deserves applause, so does Mitchell for his amazing knock in the most trying of situations. Why the complete silence whenever the opponent as much as hits a 4! One can only imagine what would happen if India are defeated. Come on India. Our players have been scintillating, our stadiums should be too. We can do better than this.

[PreludeSH]

Virat I think is not very adaptable to setting target I guess. He plays according to situation when chasing (atleast used to )
In T20, I am not sure he can adapt to the fast scoring any more. His 100 runs did matter to the huge score but people do get a little anxious at the rate at which he scores.

Shreyas has come out as a huge plus in this tournament and Rohit is the unselfish foundation setter that India has seen since Sehwag KL has put other wicket keepers to warm bench with his keeping and fast scoring at the end of innings.

[NPV]

It’s very easy for us armchair critics to always poke holes at anyone’s performance; we then transform into keyboard warriors to argue it to death!
The fact is the Indian team as a whole is playing like a well oiled unit consistently now and we’re seeing the results. The game has moved on so much that monumental performances from just one or two players does not guarantee winning matches anymore. Team effort involving good batting, bowling and fielding is now essentially the mantra for winning, and rightly so! We have a long line of batsmen who can all play well and demolish attacks on a given day, but each has a role to be played and that’s exactly what they’re doing now and the depth in batting comes handy when we lose few wickets at the top quickly. Also, as we all know already, our bowling is now really good and helps us truly round off the performances to take us to the winning side more often than not.
Of course one bad day and we can lose, just hoping we will continue with the momentum and consistency for one more game to win us this edition of the World Cup, fingers crossed.

[saket77]

I think we are really missing the man who should be credited for at least the great performance of our opening pair- Rohit and Gill.

And that man, Gentlemen, is none other than Rishabh Panth.

He is the one who has taken pain to walk into Rohit's bedroom at 3 with a full band and wake him up for training And makes Shubhman do the 'extra warm-up' by showing up with all his 'goats'

[ghodlur]

What a match and what a win for Team India. Kudos to the never give up attitude of this team

Shami has been phenomenal ever since he was a part of the team in this world cup and has been scaling greater heights with every match. Bumrah and Siraj initially had lost the momentum but regained it on time. Surprisingly Jadeja couldnt do the magic with the wickets but made it up with the brilliant catches. India desperately needs a 6th bowler for sure.

Its a given that India will start as favorites for the Sunday match.

[am1m]

Given his lack of form in all games so far, and now with his injury/niggle, should Bavuma have given up his place in the XI for today's match? Naturally, no captain will want to do that and the competitive spirit is what makes these international cricketers reach where they are. But was just wondering if that made sense. Hard decision either way. Was also wondering if his injury had been worse, who would have replaced him as an opener?

Edit: And just as I posted that, there goes Bavuma's wicket.

[AtheK]

As expected SA going in a shell and starting to choke 8/2 after 6 overs is really a bad score. They should try to play openly and Bavuma playing today was a disaster, only thing to remember for him personally will be winning the toss.

They need to put there heads down and target 260-275.

[Arun_S]

Originally Posted by am1m

Given his lack of form in all games so far, and now with his injury/niggle, should Bavuma have given up his place in the XI for today's match?
Edit: And just as I posted that, there goes Bavuma's wicket.

I don't want to be so critical of Bavuma, he is hopelessly out of form, additionally he has some injury from which looks like he has not recovered fully. He has been liability for SA in this entire tournament. His maximum score in WC is 35, which is really bad for a opener.

I feel he should have graciously sat out and allowed somebody else to lead the team.

Frankly, he is in the side just because he is the captain else no chance.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Arun_S

I don't want to be so critical of Bavuma,...
I feel he should have graciously sat out and allowed somebody else to lead the team.

Ah well, doesn't look like it would have made much of a difference. Most of the SA top-order is going to be involved in what is now looking like another knockout-stage exit. Maybe rain will save the day for SA, for a change! Australia always seem to raise their game at these stages. Would rather we were playing SA in the final than them, but sure doesn't look like that's going to be the case right now.

[narayans80]

Looks like another big choke on cards. This match looks just like the Kiwi-Aussie 2015 Final, where the Kiwis dominated all tournament and capitulated for a sub-par total in the Final.

With a storm looming, I hope we can get a full match

[ValarMorghulis]

After yesterday's epic Semi-Final this one between SA and Aus is such a damp squib!

I seriously wanted Bavuma to sit this one out;
send Reza in (he's in terrific form) and;
join back in the finals against us

Who knew Bavuma can be so stupid as to play unfit!