AHMEDABAD: Fresh off a morale-boosting 61-run victory over Pakistan in Colombo, India will hope Abhishek Sharma can regain his form ahead of the Super 8s’ final match of the World Cup League against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. The match may not be a comprehensive test for the defending champions, but it provides a valuable opportunity to get used to the venue for India’s Super 8 opener against South Africa on February 22 and a possible final on March 8.
Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!
Although the match looks one-sided on paper, a sizeable crowd is expected at the world’s largest cricket ground. “We are expecting over 70,000 spectators. Around 70,000 spectators came here last week to watch South Africa vs New Zealand,” Anil Patel, secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association, told TOI.
India have moved on to the next phase – where they face South Africa (Ahmedabad on February 22), Zimbabwe (Chennai on February 26) and West Indies (Kolkata on March 1) – and keeping their minds sharp for what could be a virtually inconsequential draw could be a bigger challenge.
Meanwhile, the focus is on Abhishek. The explosive left-hander made his T20 World Cup debut with considerable hype after 18 months of destructive opening batting, but his performance was lackluster – being dismissed for ducks in the two games he played. In fact, the 25-year-old Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman hit four ducks in his last six innings. He also missed the Namibia game in Delhi due to illness.
A strong start from India’s leading run-scorer Ishan Kishan overshadowed Abhishek’s shortcomings. Ishan Kishan is the team’s leading run-scorer with 158 runs at 197.50. But in the Super Eights, facing tougher opponents, India will want their left-handed aggressors firing on all cylinders. Maybe a little recalibration is needed. However, this is also a game where Abhishek’s high-risk, high-reward approach can shine. Against Pakistan, he was bowled by Salman Ali Agha on the fourth ball. Against the United States, he passed the first ball to Ali Khan.
|
11 – Between June 5, 2024 and February 15, 2026, India won consecutive T20 World Cup matches. The last eight wins have all been achieved while defending the overall record. 43.42 – Suryakumar Yadav has scored a total of 608 runs in 20 innings with a strike rate of 154.7, the highest among all batsmen in the T20 World Cup. He ranks third in average on the all-time list, behind Virat Kohli (58.72) and Kevin Pietersen (44.61) — Stats: Rajesh Kumar |
The Netherlands game provided him with the perfect opportunity to regain his rhythm. India’s middle order will also look to fine-tune their approach to prevent spin on the surface of aid delivery. Team composition may be another topic. With three Super 8 matches in nine days, India may consider resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. If so, Mohammad Siraj and Arshdeep Singh can share the new-ball duties.
On a slower track, India opted for wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav over Colombo’s Arshdeep. It remains to be seen whether they stick with Kuldeep. The Netherlands performed well in this tournament, pushing Pakistan to the brink and beating Namibia by seven runs. But the US suffered a 93-run defeat in Chennai, denting their momentum. To compete with a consistent and well-rounded Indian side, the Netherlands will need to improve significantly.
In the first match of the T20 World Cup, South Africa faced Canada and four men scored 213, which was India’s highest score in the tournament so far. If India’s army of shot-makers gets going, their tally could be breached.
