ICC Champions Trophy: No special plans for England, just have to hit the right areas, that's all, says Ishant Sharma
Man of the Match for his 3 for 33, Delhi pacer says he is not India's pace spearhead. He believes the fast bowlers are working as a team and that's crucial
Ishant Sharma said there were no special plans against England in the ICC Champions Trophy final in Birmingham on Sunday. Man of the Match for 3 for 33 against Sri Lanka here on Thursday, Ishant said the Indians will just to continue playing good cricket at Edgbaston.
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"If we can bowl to our field and play to our strengths, we will do well against any team. We have not been under pressure in this tournament so far and we really don't know where our real weaknesses lie," the pacer said in a chat with reporters at the National Cricket Centre here. (Read match report)
Ishant said India's fast bowlers are "working as a team" and the results are showing. "We are helping each other out, working on our variations and it's great to have Joe Dawes (bowling coach) around," he said.
While India's top order batsmen easily scored the 182 runs needed for victory, it were the bowlers who set up the win after skipper MS Dhoni decided to field first in overcast conditions at Sophia Gardens. (Match highlights)
"The wicket was two paced and there was lot movement and bounce. I am happy that I could find my rhythm and hit the right lengths. It's very important to bowl in the right areas and I am lucky I did it. I am not God that I will bowl like this every day," Ishant said in a post-match chat.
The tall quickie said there was nothing special about Thursday's performance.
"It's a good feeling. I don't want to call myself the leader of the pace attack because we are working hard as a team and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and Umesh (Yadav) are bowling well as well. It's team work," Ishant explained. (Also read: Can't figure out why we can't beat India, says dejected Angelo Mathews)
Ishant said he was bowling well in the Champions Trophy. "I was bowling well in the IPL and I am just taking that momentum forward. It's not only about conditions, it's about bowling the right areas. I have been doing this from the IPL," he said.
The quickie thanked skipper MS Dhoni for backing him and said: "MSbhai is always supporting and it's a pleasure to have him as our captain," adding the team's fielding edge gives a lot of boost to the bowlers. (Pics)
"Everyone is charged up. We are getting better as a fielding unit and bowlers are getting that confidence," Ishant said.