Bangalore, March 1 (IANS) England batsman Ian Bell said the intimidating crowd here Sunday inspired them not to buckle under pressure in the tied World Cup match against India.
Bell, who hit a crucial 69 and shared a record-breaking 170-run third-wicket partnership with Andrew Strauss, said it was a privilege for him to be a part of the humdinger that ended in a dramatic last ball tie.
‘It was a privilege for me to have been involved in that game. For me it was one of the best ODIs I have played in and probably a great game in the World Cup so far,’ said Bell.
Bell said that the draw should give them the much needed confidence as they were coming from 6-1 against Australia in a ODI series prior to the World Cup.
‘Hopefully we can take a lot of confidence from it. We played much better than we did against the Netherlands, and we can now move ahead to play better cricket in future ganmes. We can take a hell of a lot from the India game,’ he said.
Bell admitted that he never believed that England will get to 338.
‘I don’t think too many England teams in the past would have done that or would have even thought about that. It shows the confidence in the team and proves that we have the quality in bowling and fielding. If we can keep doing that we can match anyone.’
