Shreyas Iyer Attributes Indias Defeat to Bowling Performance Against West Indies

Hyderabad, October 14 (Daily Kiran) : In Hyderabad, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer expressed that poor bowling was the primary reason for his team’s loss in the fourth T20 match against the West Indies. Despite the 24-run defeat, he supported the batting approach of his team. This loss leveled the five-match series at 2-2.

The West Indies set a formidable target, scoring 247 runs for three wickets, thanks to captain Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 runs off 50 balls and Sherfane Rutherford’s quickfire 49 runs off 26 balls. In response, India’s innings ended at 223 runs, with Keemo Paul taking five wickets, setting the stage for a decisive final match in Bengaluru.

Reflecting on the defeat, Iyer noted that the Indian bowlers failed to execute their plans effectively, making it challenging to chase the target despite the team’s positive batting intentions.

“Yes, it all started with the bowling. I think we didn’t implement our line and length properly. When chasing 250 runs, you need to play in a certain way. I liked our approach while chasing, but unfortunately, we couldn’t execute our bowling plans, and that’s where we fell short,” Iyer stated.

When asked if Abhishek Sharma’s limited time on strike impacted his performance, Iyer dismissed the notion. Instead, he credited the disciplined West Indies bowling and the assistance from the pitch.

“That’s not the case. At that point, we were scoring at 12 runs per over. The fact is they executed their plans well, and the pitch offered some assistance. The ball was bouncing a bit, and they utilized their fielding effectively. They deserve credit for their performance,” he explained.

Iyer acknowledged that the pitch provided some help to the bowlers, particularly during the middle overs when the ball occasionally held up and sometimes had uneven bounce.

“Yes, the ball was coming a bit slow and occasionally had strange bounce. But knowing that, I think the bowlers understood the conditions. They are experienced, and the way they bowled according to the field placements was crucial, especially during those middle overs,” he added.