There is an air of mystery surrounding the semifinal between India and England in Georgetown. Initially meant for Trinidad, the match was later relocated to Guyana for reasons known only to the decision-makers. Adding to the confusion is the lack of a reserve day for this match, unlike the first semifinal. “Two different playing conditions for the two different semifinals,” as Mike Atherton says.
While some extra hours have been allocated to ensure the game gets an outcome, the weather remains unpredictable with forecasts indicating potential rain on the match day. There could be wait from 10.30 in the morning till about 6.30 in the evening and there may not be a game at all. That India may not mind that prospect is a different tale.
The greatest enigma, however, is the Providence Stadium pitch – will it play true or be unpredictable? A brief glance at the numbers reveals intriguing details: the highest PowerPlay run rate is 6.4, in the middle overs it drops to 5.5, and in the death overs, it peaks at 7.6. The boundary percentage stands at approximately 50 percent for the World Cup matches here – all numbers pointing to a low-scoring contest.
Notably, it was on this ground that Afghanistan sensationally defeated New Zealand by 84 runs, restricting them to a mere 75 in a first round clash. The venue has not been kind to the favourites. But then, who really is the favourite in this last-four clash – the top-ranked India or the defending champions England?
The two clashed in the semifinal of the last edition too – in Adelaide in 2022 – and India were given a sound 10-wicket hiding by England. But much water has flowed under the bridge since. While India have remained unbeaten in the championship so far, England have beaten only one Test side – West Indies – en route to the semifinal.
Time for Kohli to fire
This being a knockout game, it may be time for the big guns to step up, and all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, known for dictating the narratives in high-stakes matches. Kohli has been uncharacteristically underwhelming in this World Cup, scoring just 66 runs in five games, including two ducks. These are not the numbers typically associated with him. It might be time for him to repay the faith the team management has placed in him at the top of the batting order and a World Cup semifinal is as big a stage as any for him to stamp his influence on the contest.
Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma will have to contend with the highly competitive Jofra Archer, who raises the bar in the big games. Additionally, if Reece Topley is included in the England XI, his movement with the new ball could be an irritant for the Indian batters. Both Kohli and Rohit are not exactly known to relish his line of attack.
Ultimately, the outcome may depend on how the Indian middle order handles England’s three spinning options: Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali, and Liam Livingstone. Hardik Pandya could be crucial in the latter half of the game, as demonstrated by his performances in the last two Super 8 matches.
While much faith has been placed in Shivam Dube to take on the spinners, Pandya might once again be the central figure in the middle order. With Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel struggling to make an impact with the bat, Pandya’s role becomes even more critical in the decisive stages, where most games are won and lost.
The English dilemma
England have tactical calls to make with their selection. For starters, do they prefer the experience and death-bowling nous of Chris Jordan or the extra pace of Mark Wood? Meanwhile, Moeen and Livingstone (more former than the latter) should be pressed into action against Rishabh Pant and Dube, a trick Australia may have missed by not using Glenn Maxwell. Rashid, with expected aid from the surface, will be England’s main wicket-taking option.
Livingstone is often mentioned as a part-time spinner but when there is assistance from the track, he can be more than handy with his leg breaks against the right handers and off spin against the lefties. All other bowlers bowling to par, his bowling might end up being the difference in how England fare.
Buttler, the dangerman
In batting, Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt have posed sporadic danger to opposition’s bowling, but the biggest threat comes from skipper Jos Buttler. Unless he is stopped early, he can be devastating in the end. If Buttler bats past the PowerPlay, he becomes even more dangerous, with his ability to handle spin and lay waste to the others in the death overs. With the ball less likely to move in that phase, he can aggressively clear the boundary or deftly scoop deliveries over fine leg. This tactic often forces the opposition to set a fine leg fielder, bringing mid-off into the circle and providing more opportunities for Buttler to hit through mid-off and the cover regions, his strong areas.
The onus thus falls on Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and potentially Hardik Pandya too, to dismiss the English skipper early before he takes control of the game.
Will England gamble and pick Mark Wood for the semifinal? ©Getty
When: India vs England, Semifinal, June 27, 10:30 AM local time, 8:00 PM IST
Where: Providence Stadium, Georgetown, Guyana
What to expect:Roger Harper, who is from Guyana, says it’s a clash of titans and hopes to see high quality cricket on Thursday morning. The former West Indies spinner’s wish is likely to be fulfilled as there is very little to differentiate between the sides. The pitch is likely to aid spinners and teams batting first have won three of the five encounters at this venue during this World Cup. Again, very little to cede advantage one way or the other.
T20I World Cup Head to Head:India 2 – 2 England. India hold a slight 12-11 edge in all T20Is between these sides.
Team Watch
India
India are expected to go in with the same XI that has been playing since their arrival in the Caribbean but there is still some speculation over Rohit Sharma’s past comments about why the team management has packed the side with four spinners. Whether they will consider bringing in second wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal into the mix is a point of interest. And should that happen, who will make way – a finger spinner or a pacer? The opening combination is likely to remain the same.
Tactics & Matchups: Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed Buttler twice, giving away just 3 runs in 10 balls bowled at the England captain in T20Is. In all T20s, Buttler has been dismissed four times by Bumrah and strikes at a paltry 86.6 against India’s talisman. This battle could set the tone for the contest.
Probable XI:Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
England
The big dilemma before skipper Buttler will be whether to continue with Chris Jordan, who claimed a hattrick recently, or bring in Mark Wood. The extra pace of Wood would be a good choice but the England management is expected to stick with Jordan.
Tactics & Matchups:Adil Rashid potentially produced the game defining spell (1 for 20) in the Adelaide semifinal two years ago. He will hold the key to England keeping a leash on India’s scoring through the middle in what is expected to be a surface conducive to his craft. Rashid has dismissed Kohli twice in T20Is and has conceded just 72 runs from 68 balls. Rashid has also dismissed Suryakumar twice although this battle has been more evenly contested, with Suryakumar scoring at a strike-rate of 229.4 in this match-up.
Probable XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (c&wk), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid
Did you know?
–Virat Kohli has played three T20 World Cup semifinals. His scores in them read: 72* (44), 89* (47) and 50 (40)
– Phil Salt averages 52.2 and strikes at 180 in T20Is in West Indies
– Four of Rohit Sharma’s five dismissals in this World Cup have come to left-arm pace.
– No team has won a T20 World Cup going undefeated in the previous 8 editions. The last instance of a team going undefeated in an ICC Men’s tournament was India in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
– India have lost two consecutive semifinals (2016 vs WI and 2022 vs England) after winning the previous two in 2007 and 2014 editions. And England have won three T20 WC semifinals, all while chasing. Of these, they have gone to win the trophy twice, including in the 2010 edition which happened in the West Indies.
Who said what
We want to treat this as just another game. We won’t think about the context of the game that it is a semifinal. We will not talk about it and won’t think about what happened in the past. – Rohit Sharma
