By Sadiq Mohammad
Watching the World Cup final, I felt that India’s victory was not just about talent—it was about a well-thought-out strategy, discipline, and a clear understanding of modern batting methods. From the very beginning, I could see that the Indian batting unit had come into the match with a specific plan, particularly against the yorker delivery that fast bowlers often rely on in high-pressure games.
One aspect that stood out to me was the strategy introduced by India’s batting coach. The idea was simple yet highly effective: neutralize the yorker by standing slightly inside the batting crease. This method, which resembles the style commonly seen in tape-ball cricket in the subcontinent, allowed the batsmen to convert yorkers into full tosses. Once the ball became a full toss, the batsman could use tremendous bat speed to hit straight and with immense power, even without elaborate footwork.
I especially noticed how the Indian wicketkeeper-opening batsman Sanju Samson executed this approach beautifully. He played some outstanding cricketing shots, timing the ball perfectly and striking it straight down the ground with authority. His ability to read the length early and commit to the shot with confidence made the bowlers’ yorker strategy far less effective than they would have hoped.
What impressed me even more was the discipline shown by the entire Indian batting lineup. After gaining momentum, they did not lose their focus. Instead, they maintained a structured approach, building partnerships and ensuring that the scoreboard kept moving. This kind of controlled aggression and collective responsibility is what championship teams are made of. It was evident to me that the Indian players had one clear objective—to make sure the World Cup stayed in India and they executed their plans with remarkable precision.
When I looked at New Zealand’s performance, I felt a sense of familiarity. Over the years, New Zealand have often been one of the most consistent teams in world cricket. They frequently reach the semi-finals and finals of major tournaments, yet somehow the trophy has often remained just out of their reach. Once again, they showed their fighting spirit, but they were unable to cross the final hurdle.
In my opinion, New Zealand’s bowling was not extraordinarily bad in terms of line and length. However, the Indian batsmen approached their innings with such concentration and clarity that the bowlers were unable to create the pressure they normally do. Good batting can often make decent bowling look ineffective, and that is exactly what happened in this match.
Where I felt New Zealand struggled the most was in their batting approach. When you are chasing a large target in a big final, composure becomes the most valuable asset. I believe their top four batsmen needed to concentrate more on playing proper cricketing shots rather than rushing into risky strokes. They were fully aware that the target was huge, but the correct strategy would have been to focus on building a solid foundation during the first ten overs.
Ideally, I would have liked to see New Zealand score around 120 runs in the first ten overs while preserving wickets. The key in such situations is to play straight, cricketing ground shots, maintain control and keep at least three established batsmen at the crease. Once you have that platform, the tempo can be increased in the middle overs with calculated aggression.
Unfortunately for New Zealand, they lost wickets far too quickly. Losing four batsmen for single-digit scores in a chase of that magnitude immediately put them under immense pressure. From my perspective, the captain and the coaching staff should have intervened early. After the fall of two wickets, a message could have been sent to the batsmen to slow things down, focus on proper shot selection and rebuild the innings.
If I had been advising the team, I would have asked the incoming batsmen not to rush before settling in. The focus should have been on playing hard, grounded cricketing shots and aiming to reach somewhere between 125 and 140 runs with proper batsmanship before accelerating gradually toward the target. Such a calculated approach might have kept them in the contest longer.
However, cricket is ultimately decided on execution and in this match India were clearly the better side in every department. Their batting strategy, disciplined fielding and overall tactical awareness reflected a team that had prepared meticulously for the occasion.
In my view, India outclassed New Zealand with a logical and well-structured approach to the game. They deserved the victory and demonstrated why they are one of the strongest teams in world cricket today.
Well played, India. The World Cup victory was richly deserved.
Note: Sadiq Mohammad is a former Pakistan Test opener. He has done a marvellous job to contribute regularly to thecricketplus.com during the ICC T20 World Cup.
