Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar rued India’s poor fielding after the team’s five-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in a T20 World Cup 2022 clash at Perth on Sunday (October 30).
Defending the modest total of 133, Indian bowlers had reduced the Proteas to 24/3 but the duo of Aiden Markram (52 off 41 balls) and David Miller (59* off 46 balls) added 76 runs for the fourth wicket to script South Africa’s victory with two deliveries to spare.
India’s fielding was not up to the mark as South African batters got quite a few reprieves. While Virat Kohli dropped a dolly of Markram at deep mid-wicket off R Ashwin when the batter was on 35, the Men in Blue missed some run-out opportunities as well when the game was in the balance.
"Yes, if you had taken those catches, it would have been different. Catches win matches and those chances, if taken, could have made the difference," Bhuvneshwar said at the post-match press conference.
“The catch we dropped and run out chances that we missed, I won't say momentum shifted but it would have been different. But I won't pinpoint any particular moment as such," he added.
Earlier, Indian batters found it tough to cope with extra pace, bounce and movement as the team posted 133/9 in 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav was the lone fighter with the willow, scoring 68 off 40 balls.
"When it comes to batting, we all know it was a difficult wicket to bat on. If you look at the tournament so far, the par score has been around 140 and so. We believed that with 140, we had belief that we can make a match of it."
When South Africa needed 25 off the last three overs, Rohit gave the ball to Ashwin, who was smashed for 13 runs in the 18th over and the equation became easy for the Proteas.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar defended Rohit’s decision to give Ashwin the 18th over, saying: "Generally, the thought is that if spinners could keep things tight, it would have been difficult for the batters in the end while facing the pacers. And if you keep a spinner at the end then it becomes easier for batting. Had we got a wicket, things could have changed."
He didn't want to give the extreme cold conditions as an excuse for not doing well.
"It was very difficult but we never talked about that as we knew we had to cope with those conditions. Even in Melbourne it was cold but we never talked about these things."
India will next face Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday (November 2).
(With PTI inputs)
