Shreyas Iyer: World Cup not a stage to focus on individual milestones

Mumbai, Nov 3 (PTI) Individual milestones don't take precedence in a stage like World cup, said Shreyas Iyer, hoping to get a hundred for India in the coming matches after smashing a 56-ball 82 against Sri Lanka here.

India's huge total of 357 for 8 against Sri Lanka did not feature a single century as three of the key batters -- Shubman Gill (92), Virat Kohli (88) and Iyer (82) -- missed their personal milestones of getting hundreds.

India’s brilliant approach with the bat after being asked to bat first was overshadowed by a sensational bowling show by Mohammed Shami (5-1-18-5), Mohammed Siraj (7-2-16-3) and Jasprit Bumrah (5-1-8-1) during their 302-run win, the country's biggest win in the 50-overs format.

"This is the stage where you play for the team. You don't play for your individual performance," Iyer told the media after India crushed Sri Lanka and qualified for the World Cup semifinals.

"We definitely discuss about missing out on centuries or half centuries, but going forward, say if we are put in the same situation, I would have to go against the bowlers, right? "Like if I'm batting in the 47th or 48th over, I won't be thinking. I was sighting the ball pretty well. It's just that I missed out on that particular ball.

"...and a few balls here and there, I could have got to 100. But nonetheless, there are a few more matches to come and hopefully, I'll be able to get one," Iyer said.

The Mumbaikar termed India’s bowling performance as "surreal" after they bowled out Sri Lanka for a mere 55 in 19.4 overs, keeping them under 100 for the third time this year.

After bowling them out for 73 at Thiruvananthapuram in January, India shot out Sri Lanka for just 50 in the final of the Asia Cup.

Iyer was asked to compare which bowling performance -- in the Asia Cup final or in the World Cup clash -- was more 'dangerous'.

"I think (with) the current bowling attack, it's pretty hard to say because in (the) Asia Cup final, I was sitting out. From outside, it was a bit different,” Iyer said.

"But now playing on the field, I felt that today's (Thursday’s) performance was surreal, especially by the bowlers, the way they stood up to the occasion. And once we got that two-three wickets, we just capitalised on that.

"As a bowling unit, and also as a fielding unit, we supported our bowlers by taking a few catches here and there. (The) team is in a great space of mind." PTI DDV ATK ATK