'Men in Blue light up Lucknow': Bumrah, Shami destroy England; India remain unbeaten in World Cup 2023

India's ace pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami destroyed England and helped Men in Blue win their sixth match at Lucknow's Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium by 100 runs. The pacers gave a magnificent start to the host team by picking up four quick wickets for just 39 runs in 9.1 overs and then bundling them out for just 129. Defending a low total of 229 runs, the Men in Blue seemed not that effective in the first four overs and England moved for quick runs, and were 26 for no loss. However, that changed in the fifth over when Bumrah returned and clean-bowled Dawid Malan (16 off 17) and then got Joe Root out.

After Bumrah, Shami struck hard and first clean-bowled Ben Stokes, who struggled for runs and could not open his account even though he played 10 balls, and then Jonny Bairstow. Robin Uthappa said Shami is on an absolute rampage and Indian pacers are hunting in a pack while England are struggling to keep up.  

Once the English top order was destroyed by the pacers, the mantle was passed on to the spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. The next to fall was England skipper Jos Buttler, who was clean-bowled by Kuldeep Yadav. Buttler was the fifth man to depart, dimming the hope of any possible win. 

England added 29 runs for the sixth wicket but Shami struck again after he got Moeen Ali out for 15 off 31. Liam Livingstone, who was looking dangerous and the last man standing, missed a quicker from Yadav and got rapped on the pads. He was given LBW for 27.   

A cricket fan praised the Indian bowling attack and said 'it has been the best ever'. "I don't remember when was the last time I was so excited about India's pace bowling. It has been the best ever," the fan said. 

Kshitij Upadhyay said that Shami seam made me "drool". "Bumrah and Shami on fire!!!🔥England 4 down and spinners are yet to be used." Another user said English players may have prepared for tackling spinners in middle overs, "but I don't think they would survive till spinners come into action'. 

Rahul Jha, national co-incharge of social media of BJP Kisan Morcha, said that if today India defeat England then no team can stop them from winning the World Cup. 

Batting first after losing the toss, India could score just 229 runs, probably 20-30 runs short from what many said could have been the respectable total at this wicket. For India, skipper Rahul Sharma delivered a decent knock of 87 runs followed by Suryakumar Yadav (49) and KL Rahul (39). Renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle said that he was happy to see Suryakumar Yadav play a nice balanced innings. "But with 4 overs left, that dismissal probably cost India about 20 runs."