Perth, Feb 28 (IANS) Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who spun a web against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) batsmen in a World Cup Pool B encounter here Saturday at the WACA, said focussing on his basics brought such results for him.
Ashwin picked up his career best One-day International (ODI) figures of four for 25 from his 10 overs, getting rid of the UAE middle order in quick time. Pacer Umesh Yadav and left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with two scalps each to skittle out the UAE for 102 in 32.2 overs.
“I’ve never got a four-for before. It was running on my mind a bit, but I was focussing on my basics and it was coming out well,” Ashwin said at the mid-innings break.
“I enjoyed bowling here the last time I bowled against Sri Lanka. It helps if you bowl it slower and there’s a wee bit of turn as well.”
The 28-year-old explained his tactics that he persisted with.
“If you set the batsman well, mixing up the arm ball, and then you bowl one really slow, you are going to get him fending it and leg slip comes into play,” he said.
He added they were peaking at the right time after dismal performances in the Tests against Australia and tri-series where they failed to win a single game.
“We always peak well coming into tournaments. We had a tough Test series, and didn’t do too well in the tri-series as well. But we always knew we would pick it up when we came into the World Cup,” concluded Ashwin.