India more relieved than elated after beating Pakistan

Tuesday, 17 February 2015 00:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: There was no chest-beating from India’s players after they beat their fierce rivals Pakistan at the World Cup on Sunday. While their fans celebrated as though they had won the World Cup, India’s players were more relieved than excited by the 76-run victory. Until Sunday, the Indians had only won one match – apractice game against Afghanistan – sincearriving in Australia in November, and the pressure was starting to mount.

As the team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni bore the brunt of criticism. More than most, he knew how important it was for India to avoid defeat to Pakistan in their opening World Cup match. “I felt the guys did really well because a World Cup opening game against Pakistan, it is a high-stake game,” Dhoni told a news conference at Adelaide Oval. “But at the same time we don’t want to give it too much of an importance because irrespective of whether you’re playing Pakistan or Australia, the games are important. “You get the same number of points. Your run rate, depending on the margin you win, it’s the same. I feel we try to keep it as normal as possible, and to a lot of extent we were able to do that.” Dhoni admitted his players had felt flat after losing the four-match test series 2-0 to Australia and then finishing last in the Tri-Series one-day tournament, which also included England. He said the players spent the 10 days between the end of the series and the start of the World Cup trying to refresh themselves physically and mentally.

Kohli continues love affair with Adelaide and Australia

Reuters: ViratKohli continued his love affair with Australia and the Adelaide Oval when he scored his

22nd one-day century to drive India to a 76-run victory over Pakistan in the World Cup on Sunday. The 26-year-old has now scored seven centuries in 21 one-day and test matches on Australian soil and four in five matches in both formats at the historic ground beside the River Torrens. Two of those came last December in the first test against Australia and it was also at the Adelaide Oval that he secured his maiden test century in the 2011-12 tour. “I want to wrap up this ground and take it home,” Kohli said in a pitchside interview after his knock of 107. “This has been a really special ground for me.” Since the last test series ended, though, he had raised eyebrows by going through four one-day matches and two warm-ups in Australia without getting anywhere close to a century, only once getting into double figures.