Shreyas Iyer roared back into form with a sensational knock of 82 runs against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His knock was handy in India's massive total on of 357 runs on Thursday but in the post-match conference he repeatedly asked about short-balls and his dismissals. Iyer lost his cool in the end and had a heated chat with a reported who asked him about his short-ball weakness.
Checkout the conversation and video below:
Reporter: I wanted to ask, short ball has been a problem for you since the beginning of this World Cup and today we saw some great pull shots. How much are you prepared for the next match against South Africa because we know how good they are with the short balls.
Shreyas Iyer: When you say it's a problem for me what do you mean?
Reporter: Not a problem, problem exactly but it has troubled you. (Cricket World Cup 2023: Sachin Tendulkar Announces India's Dressing Room Fielder Of The Match As Medal Goes To Shreyas Iyer; WATCH)
Shreyas Iyer:Troubled me? Have you seen how many pull shots I've scored? Especially which has gone for four.
"If you're trying to hit a ball, you're bound to get out anyway. Irrespective it's a short ball, it's an over pitch. If I get bowled two or three times, you all would say that, OK, he can't play an in-swinging ball. He can't play a cut if a ball is seeming." (Cricket World Cup 2023: Ex-PAK Cricketer Accuses BCCI And ICC Of Cheating, Says 'They Are Giving Different Balls To India')
"So, see, we, as players are bound to get out on any sort of deliveries. You guys have created that environment outside that he can't play a short ball. And I feel that people are picking that up every now and then and it plays on your mind regularly and you keep working on that."
Shreyas giving clarification on his purported weakness against short balls..
#ShreyasIyer pic.twitter.com/5FQP5hhACk— Shawstopper (@shawstopper_100) November 2, 2023
Iyer played a sensational knock of 82 in the middle overs to steer India to a massive total of 357/8 in the first innings. He displayed a variety of shots from his arsenal, which also included pull shots. In recent times, Iyer has lost his wickets a number of times while attempting to play a pull shot. This was noticed in the Aisa Cup during India's encounter with arch-rival Pakistan.
Coming to the match, Mohammed Siraj's sensational spell was shadowed by Mohammed Shami who took the onus to send India to the semi-finals of the World Cup after a thumping 302-run victory. Sri Lanka succumbed to a total of 55 inside 20 overs while chasing a target of 358 at the Wankhdede Stadium. (With ANI Inputs)
