England Needs 'Extra Special' Effort to Beat India in T20 World Cup Semi-Final, Says Collingwood

Paul Collingwood, who coached his nation to victory in the 2010 Caribbean edition of the T20 World Cup, believes that England will have to pull off something "extra special" in order to defeat India and go to the championship match.

The England Test assistant coach, Collingwood, feels that the Indian team under Rohit Sharma is quite different from the one that lost to England in the Adelaide 2022 T20 Cup semifinal in terms of mindset and strategy. That, according to the senior England player, makes Jos Buttler and his team's task much more difficult on Thursday at Providence Stadium in Georgetown.

"With the way India has been playing, I don't see them losing. In order to defeat India in the semifinals, England will need to go above and beyond.

At a virtual press conference on Tuesday held by broadcasters Star Sports, Collingwood stated, "They played well and won on those tough wickets in the USA; Rohit Sharma is back in form and Jasprit Bumrah is bowling brilliantly." In Twenty20 cricket, India has always been a strong chaser, but lately, I've noticed a shift in their approach to target-setting. They are now approaching the (opposition's) bowling with a different mindset from ball one. Thus, the former all-rounder stated, "they could get a total that's way beyond England if they bat first."

Buttler's explosive, undefeated 83 against the USA last Sunday, according to Collingwood, should instill considerably more confidence in the English locker room. "Buttler's physique has changed and he exudes confidence. He also has a smile on his face, which brightens the mood in the locker room," he remarked.

The pitch in Guyana is often sluggish, making strokeplay somewhat more difficult for hitters. Additionally, Thursday is expected to bring rain and thunderstorms, so Collingwood believes England may decide to play four quicks.

There will be a lot of revelations in Guyana. If the surface is flat, England may win the match because they are superior than other teams in these circumstances. It is slightly more advantageous for India if it is slow.

The bum factor

One major plus for England is the Buttler-Phil Salt starting duo. However, India also possesses the Bumrah weapon to neutralize the pair. That match might be what separates Collingwood from the opposition on Thursday.

"Bumrah has amazing speed, skill, and deceit in T20 cricket. Will England take him on directly? Their removal of the lynchpin could have a significant impact on India. You witnessed Travis Head oppose him (Bumrah) on a few occasions (on Monday in St Lucia). Should the adversary manage to overthrow the leader, India may become discouraged. However, given the harm Bumrah can inflict, it will undoubtedly be dangerous," Collingwood said.

Adil's part

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid will be crucial for England as well, particularly in the middle overs. "One thing about Rashid is how hard it is to choose his wrong person. When it comes to T20 cricket, his ability to fool is crucial, as seen by his ability to bowl slower deliveries or trick batsmen with spin.

Collingwood remarked, "India play spin well, but Rashid looks very confident and right on top of his game."

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.