Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra, in his analysis of India’s 2023 World Cup victory over South Africa, praised Ravindra Jadeja’s outstanding performance, asserting that the all-rounder deserved the title of Player of the Match.
The Men in Blue, led by Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 101 off 121 deliveries, set a formidable 327-run target for South Africa in Kolkata on November 5.
Jadeja, contributing with both bat and ball, played a crucial role in India’s triumph. He notched an unbeaten 15-ball 29 and then showcased his bowling prowess by claiming figures of 5/33 in nine overs.
This remarkable performance led to the Proteas being bundled out for a mere 83 runs, resulting in a resounding 243-run victory for India.
“Ravindra Jadeja did a fantastic job. He got three wickets in Chennai and five wickets in this match. Jadeja excels when he has a favourable pitch, he can dismantle the entire opposing team with his bowling skills,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra justified his choice by emphasizing the rarity of five-wicket hauls in the tournament.
“If I could pick the Player of the Match, I would choose Ravindra Jadeja. In this tournament, you can see that there are not many centuries or five-wicket hauls. Getting five wickets in an innings is quite uncommon,” he added.
Jadeja’s stellar performance also marked him as the second Indian spinner to achieve a five-wicket haul in a World Cup game, following in the footsteps of Yuvraj Singh, who achieved this feat in the 2011 edition of the tournament against Ireland with figures of 5/31 in Bengaluru.
