New Delhi: Despite showing signs of discomfort during their six-wicket win over Pakistan in a crucial Champions Trophy game, India skipper Rohit Sharma and pace spearhead Mohammed Shami are fit to play in their last group game against New Zealand.
Both Rohit and Shami struggled with apparent hamstring injuries and were forced to take a break from fielding when India bowled after they lost the toss and were asked to bowl by Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan.
But after brief treatment, both returned to the field as Shami cintinued bowling and Rohit made 20 runs durng India’s 242-run chase, which they completed in 42.3 overs with Virat Kohli leading with the bat with an unbeaten 100-run knock, his 51st ODI ton and 82nd international century.
SPeaking after the game, Shreyas Iyer, who scored 56 off 67 balls, including five boundaries and a six, revealed after the match that there are no injury concerns for the team for their game against New Zealand on March 2.
“As far as I know, both Rohit and Shami are fine. There is no injury concern to them,” he said.
‘Lot of pressure externally’
Iyer, who produced an 114-run third-wicket partnership with Kohli, also said that playing against Pakistan is an extra challenge as players are under a lot of pressure externally.
“I haven’t played that many matches in Pakistan, so I don’t know exactly how it would have felt. But it’s a neutral venue and it’s a challenge for both the teams. But any victory against Pakistan is sweet because they are always competitive,” the right handed batter said.
“It’s a challenge and there’s a lot of pressure externally as well. It was a lot of fun. It was my third game in Pakistan.”
Iyer said Kohli made it easy for him when he came into bat in the 18th over and praised Kohli for his unquenchable hunger for runs.
“I have never thought of Virat struggling for runs. It is just the mindset that he possesses over the years. He is always hungry for runs. I remember yesterday, he had come almost an hour before us for the practice session and he played a few balls and he was looking from outside.
“He looked as crisp as he looks all the time. So, I never feel that he is struggling for his runs,” he said.
Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami struggled with apparent hamstring injuries and were forced to take a break from fielding when India bowled against Pakistan in their Champions Trophy game. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
