Mohammed Siraj played a key role in India’s seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Saturday (October 14).
The right-arm quick came into this marquee fixture on the back of a poor outing against Afghanistan. Hence, there was pressure building on him and Siraj bounced back brilliantly to return with the figures of 2/50 in his eight overs against the arch-rivals.
"When we go to office you also have a day off - it cannot always be the same every time, the graph always comes down. So, I think to myself that I am not a bad bowler because of one match," Siraj said in the post-match presser.
"I always keep my confidence high that my bowling is good and I should be the number one bowler. This confidence helps me in bowling and I can't be a bad bowler if I lose a match. I have backed myself to do that. I have got the result today."
Bowling on a flat pitch in Ahmedabad, Siraj had to try variations and he did bowl cross-seam so that the ball wobbles and also gets scruffed up easily to aid in reverse swing.
"I started from third over. Because in the end, there could have been chances of reverse. Because when I was holding it seam-up it was coming easy on the bat. The batsman was not struggling. The ball was coming easy."
"So, I thought, on this wicket I need to try cross seam because it can keep low and at times, you can get extra bounce. If you can extract bounce and if you get a wicket, that's good for you."
Siraj trapped the dangerous Abdullah Shafique LBW for 20 and then cleaned up the well-set Babar Azam for 50.
When asked what did he do that the delivery bowled to Babar kept low, Siraj replied: "I would like to say one thing, the ball didn't come low, because he had to play it on front foot and he went back. Otherwise, the ball was executed just as I thought. The ball skidded a little, nothing else. That's why."
Siraj also spoke about how the bowling unit has been doing well in tandem, adding that creating pressure from both ends on most days has worked wonders.
"You see, our bowling unit is doing so well from the last three matches. It's not like only one person is performing. Overall, the bowling unit is performing. If you don't get a wicket, you're building pressure and putting in a dot ball.
"In this, the team will get the success and the team will get the help. When Jassi bowls the ball - you can see what line is better on the wicket. When you're on the third man and the final leg, you get to see the line and get some information from the keeper that this line is better on the wicket. So, it becomes easier to execute," he explained.
India’s next World Cup match is scheduled against Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday (October 19).
(With PTI Inputs)
