Cardiff:
Man of the Match for his three for 33 in the crushing win over Sri Lanka in the semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy, Ishant Sharma said India`s fast bowlers are "working as a team" and the results are showing.
India handed Sri Lanka an eight-wicket defeat to storm into the final here today.
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 Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to field first in overcast conditions.
"The wicket was two paced and there was lot of 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," Ishant said in a post-match chat.
"I am not God that I will bowl like this every day," he added.
The tall quickie said there was nothing special about today`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.
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 in the right areas. I have been doing this from the IPL," he said.
The quickie thanked skipper Dhoni for backing him and said: "M S bhai 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.
"Everyone is charged up. We are getting better as a fielding unit and bowlers are getting that confidence," Ishant said.
Ishant said there were no special plans against hosts England, opponents for Sunday`s summit showdown.
"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," Ishant said.
