World Cup 2015: India completed four-wicket victory and progress to quarterfinals

By R Kaushik, Wisden India

A juiced-up pitch with easily the most pace and bounce in the World Cup, two sets of inspired bowlers who relished the conditions, and two groups of batsmen that sacrificed common sense for a risk-fraught approach combined to make this a cracker.

Qualitatively, this wasn’t the greatest cricket match, but the WACA ground was the stage for gripping theatre on a tense Friday. West Indies needed to win to stay alive in Pool B, India needed the victory to formalise their entry into the last-eight stage. Through Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma, India bowled the lengths normally associated with West Indies after Jason Holder opted to bat on winning the toss—short, just outside off, pushing the batsmen on to the back foot. It paid handsome dividends as West Indies made an extremely poor start; if they managed to escape to the relative respectability of 182, it was thanks largely to a wonderful halfcentury from Holder, playing a lone hand at No 9.

Chasing their fourth consecutive victory and looking to equal their World Cup streak of eight successive wins achieved in 2003 between defeats to Australia, India had to dig deep as they faced their first genuine test of this tournament. At various stages, West Indies appeared set to upset their applecart until the cool head of MS Dhoni carried the day for the defending champions. India eventually completed a four-wicket victory and sealed their quarterfinal appearance, reaching 185 for 6 with 65 deliveries to spare.

In this day and age, 182 might not appear a massive total, but the conditions meant they were worth at least 30 more. When India came out to bat, the lights had taken effect and the ball was swinging around quite generously and Jerome Taylor immediately slipped into an Indian length, fullish and outside off, enough to elicit loose drives and decisive outside edges.

Both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were gobbled up behind the stumps, the former driving off the back foot and the latter off the front. Ajinkya Rahane watched with no little admiration as Virat Kohli produced a masterclass. Putting his recent off-field travails behind him, Kohli batted quite superbly, producing easily the innings of the game as he drove sublimely down the ground with fabulous timing. Kohli appeared determined to take the team home all on his own before perishing to the pull. It sparked a wobble of sorts; India scored freely but West Indies kept themselves in the game with timely strikes.

Rahane was caught behind off Kemar Roach, while Suresh Raina chased a delivery from Dwayne Smith and Jadeja threw it away with the finish still 49 runs away. Once Holder decided to bat first, with the ball zipping and nipping around, the Indian pace troika feasted on the uncertainty gnawing away at the hearts of the batsmen. With Shami back in action, India were back to their best pace combine.

There wasn’t just pace and bounce, there was also decent swing even in the afternoon, and all three quicks made capital of all the assistance that came their way, Shami’s opening salvo against Chris Gayle was especially impressive, the dangerous Jamaican given no opportunity to get under the ball and strike long miles.

Yadav was faster, as much in control and asking as many questions of the top order, while Mohit backed up the new-ball pair. It was 85 for 7 when Holder walked out to join Darren Sammy.

After watching the pitch for a while, he switched gears. Using the long levers to excellent effect, he struck the ball straight, clean and beautiful, transferring the pressure with 51 runs for the ninth wicket.