ICC World Cup 2023: Open and shut up case!

Team Indiarsquos Mumbai boy Shreyas Iyer proved his mettle once again and shouldered responsibility perfectly by scoring an attacking 56ball 82 which helped Rohit Sharma amp Co post 3578 against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday It was definitely one of Iyerrsquos better knocks which came under tremendous pressure but his coachmdashformer India batsman Pravin Amremdashreckoned Iyerrsquos best innings in this World Cup has yet to comeAlso ReadShreyas insists he has no problem with the short stuffIyer arrived at the crease after Shubman Gillrsquos departure for 92 in the 30th over He opened his account by taking a single off legspinner Dushan Hemantha Then leftarm pacer Dilshan Madushanka 580 welcomed him with a shortpitched ball which Iyer pulled towards square leg for another singleIyer shifted gears after 10 deliveries going the aerial route in almost every over He hit his first six by picking pacer Kasun Rajitharsquos slower ball very early and dispatched it over the longoff fence In the next over Iyer sent spinner Hemantha for another maximum Indiarsquos first six of the innings came in the 27th over when Gill smashed pacer Dushmantha Chameera 171 over the midwicket fence However Iyerrsquos presence at the crease changed the equation quickly as he smashed six sixesmdashmost of them dispatched over the bowlerrsquos head and three fours during his refreshing knockWhen Iyer reached 70 he completed 2000 ODI runs in his 54th game The highlight of his innings was his backtoback sixes in the 48th over He pulled Madushanka to the midwicket fence into the Divecha Pavilion and then hit a superblytimed straight six It was evident that Iyer worked hard on his game a couple of days ago at his home ground while preparing to counter shortpitched balls with the help of head coach Rahul Dravid Indeed his Thursday innings showcased strong technique as well as a positive mindsetldquoHe Iyer shouldered responsibility very well and helped the team post a 350plus score He has shown why he was backed by the team management especially for his ability to hit long sixes This knock will give him a lot of confidence I understand a lot of people were trolling him before this game but he played his game and delivered Team India needed this knockrdquo Amre who was present at the Wankhede Stadium told midday on ThursdayIyer 28 had scored an unbeaten 53 against Pakistan at Ahmedabad on October 14 He started off with a duck against Australia in his sidersquos opening game at Chennai followed by 25 not out against Afghanistan After his 53 against Pakistan he had scores of 19 v Bangladesh in Pune 33 against New Zealand at Dharamsala and was dismissed for a 16ball 4 by England at LucknowldquoThis is Shreyasrsquos second fifty in this tournament but as a coach I will say his best is yet to come in this tournament Let his bat do the talkingrdquo signed off Amre216No of runs scored by Shreyas Iyer in the ongoing World Cup edition