India first team to qualify for WC semis after crushing Sri Lanka by 309 runs

Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj intimidated and scarred an underprepared Sri Lankan side with a fast bowling exhibition for the ages as India demolished the islanders by a mammoth 302 runs to enter the ICC World Cup 2023 semifinals on ThursdayOn a Wankhede track that looked placid India piled on a mammoth 357 for 8 in 50 oversSri Lanka crumbled under lights for a paltry 55 in 194 overs to ensure an eighth semifinal appearance for India at the global event This was Indias biggest victory by margin of runs in the 48year history of the tournamentWith 14 points from seven games Rohit Sharmas army will like to finish with an allwin record as they now face South Africa in Kolkata on November 5 and the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 12Shami 518 in 5 overs took his second fivewicket haul in this edition and with 45 scalps became Indias highest wickettaker in World Cup historySiraj 316 in 7 overs was equally incisive and Jasprit Bumrah 18 in 5 overs formidable as ever in a pictureperfect bowling performanceAs the Indian juggernaut rolls on every performance seems like a dream played on a loopExactly 45 days ago Siraj had dismantled the Sri Lankans for 50 in the Asia Cup final and it seemed that the effect of that game has stayed in the minds of the Lankans who became the second team after Bangladesh to get eliminated from the 10team eventIt was fascinating to see how the same 22 yards looked so different when the two teams battedWhile Virat Kohli 88 off 94 balls missed out on a world recordequalling 49th ODI hundred with the maestro Sachin Tendulkar himself in attendance batting seemed like the easiest job on the planetShubman Gill 92 off 92 balls and Shreyas Iyer 82 off 56 balls pulverised the opposition even as they missed out on personal landmarksBut the capacity Wankhede crowd wouldnt have believed what came in nextOn that placid track the ball started jagging around as Siraj and Shami didnt give any Lankan batters any respite during the 19 odd overs that they bowledIf Siraj came wide off the crease and delivered unplayable incutters Shami bowled from close to the stumps and got the ball to move away enough that either it kissed the outside edge of the bat or there was loud thwack of the stumpsHitting the right areas is an oftrepeated statement but doing it day in and day out and getting those wrists into the business with perfect seam position creating doubts in batters minds Shami has etched his name in the history booksOn Thursday Shami and Siraj showed quality of pitch doesnt matter quality of players doAlso ReadSachin Tendulkarrsquos 1983 love storyKohli enjoyed a 189run second wicket stand with his heir apparent Gill who looked a million dollars during his runaball 92After a minislump it was Iyer who feasted against a mediocre bowling attack on a placid track to get some form back before the match against South Africa at Eden Gardens which will be played on a spicier trackStarting briskly with a flurry of sixes Iyers innings was instrumental in taking India past 350 after they lost both Gill and Kohli in quick succession His innings featured six sixes and three foursDilshan Madushanka 580 in 10 overs who bowled a peach of a delivery to get skipper Rohit Sharma 4 first up also denied all three Indian batters what would have been deserving hundredsHe used the slower cutters and bouncers to good effect during his second and third spellsKohli and Gill weathered the storm adequately well to get through the initial overs and piled up a mountain of runs to put India on topIn the sixth over Dushmantha Chameera almost had Kohlis wicket but could not hold on to a return catch on his followthrough which saw the ball popping outBeginning with a riskfree approach Kohli and Gill stitched Indias highestever partnership in this World Cup for any wicket putting on 189 runs from just 179 balls for the second wicketKohli looked primed to equal the legendary Tendulkars tally of most ODI centuries but met with a soft end lobbing a straight catch to cover after a masterful 88 from 94 balls which included 11 foursThe ball stopped on him as he was committed on the drive but it hit the upper part of the blade to balloon upGill started slowly but produced a compelling knock that brought him close to his first century of the tournamentHis first runs came off the ninth ball that he faced but there was no stopping the fluent batter once he pulled Madushanka with command for a four to midwicket and followed up with a fabulous backfoot punch on the next deliveryWith agency inputs