India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj bagged the Man of the Match award in the recently concluded second Test match against West Indies in Port of Spain. Playing his 21st Test, Siraj won such a award only for the first time in this format and for the second time in his international career.
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While Siraj would’ve wanted to add to his tally of wickets in the match, he didn’t get an opportunity of bowling on a Day 5 pitch because of inclement weather conditions at the Queen’s Park Oval. With persistent rain not even allowing a ball to be bowled on Monday, the match ended in a draw.
India, who needed eight wickets to win the match, would’ve really enjoyed a challenge of bowling out the hosts for under 365 runs in the fourth innings. Having said that, weather gods had completely other plans for the day.
IND vs WI Man of the Match Today
Siraj, 29, was adjudged the Player of the Match for picking career-best bowling figures of 23.4-6-60-5 in the first innings. Having registered these figures at a time when the pitch wasn’t assisting any type of bowling, Siraj’s second Test five-wicket haul played a titular role in bundling out the home team for 255 in 115.4 overs.
With the West Indian batters putting on display a lot of patience in front of the opposition, dismissing them for a below part innings total on a docile pitch was no mean task. Therefore, adding to the importance of Siraj’s effort even though three out of his five wickets were against tail-enders.
“This is my first Man of the Match award in Tests. So, it’s a memory. There was no help for fast bowlers on this wicket. I had simple plans, and executed it. When there’s no help for fast bowlers and yet you get wickets, it gives you confidence. Rohit [Sharma] bhai just asked me to keep doing what I have been doing,” Siraj told the host broadcaster during the post-match presentation ceremony in Trinidad.
