Members of the Indian team sought divine intervention at the iconic Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati temple in Mumbai on Wednesday, hours before heading into a high-pressure T20 World Cup semi-final against England.
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In a video that quickly went viral on social media, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma were seen offering prayers and receiving darshan at the revered temple a day before India’s knockout match at the Wankhede Stadium.
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The spiritual visit comes at a crucial time for the Indian team, who are not quite in the semi-finals yet. They were overwhelming favorites at the start of the game, but struggled to put together a perfect performance against stronger opponents. However, the team showed resilience after suffering a humiliating defeat against South Africa in the Super 8 opener.
The reintroduction of Sanju Samson proved to be a brilliant move. More than a decade after making his debut for India, the 31-year-old reignited India’s flames with a career-defining unbeaten 97 in the virtual quarter-final against West Indies. His confidence will be key, especially for opening partner Abhishek Sharma, who is still looking for his best burst despite hitting a Super 8 fifty against Zimbabwe.
The England team, which has won five consecutive games, will face a severe test. Jofra Archer’s pace, Will Jacks’ spin in the powerplay and Adil Rashid’s mid-wicket skills could challenge India’s top order. Harry Brooke and Sam Curran have been key figures for England, while questions remain over Jos Buttler’s performance in the major clash.
India’s core squad, including Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, had extended training sessions earlier this week. With spin twins Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy expected to play a big role on a potentially tricky surface, execution will be crucial.