Former West Indies cricketer Michael Holding has said that MS Dhoni wanted to win the match against England in the 2019 World Cup.
Former West Indies cricketer Michael Holding has said that he could see from Dhoni's face that he wanted to win the game against England in the 2019 World Cup.
There have been significant discussions over the particular group stage game, ever since Ben Stokes wrote in his book that there was little intent from India to win the match.
Stokes also questioned Dhoni's intent in the game as he didn't go for the big hits when India needed them during the final stages of the game.
"It was not the game that India had to win, but I don't think anyone can say that was a team tactic to lose the game," Holding said.
"I watched that game and it appeared to me as if India weren't putting up their 100 per cent, but I realised it was not the case when the expression on MS Dhoni's face told me that he desperately wanted to win, so I do not think it was a team decision to not try to win.
"But I don't think they went with the same intensity of wanting to win the game, say, if it was a do-or-die situation. If it was, we would have seen a different game," he said.
In the chase of 338, India fell short by 31 runs as the side succumbed to their only defeat in the group stages of the tournament. India's chasing approach was criticised by many Indian fans after the match.
