Rain Threatens India-England T20 World Cup Semifinal Showdown
India looks to Virat Kohli and spinners to secure final spot amid uncertain weather conditions.
When India and England square off in the second semifinal of this T20 World Cup on Thursday, all eyes will be on the overhead conditions at Providence Stadium in Georgetown.
The area has been battered by rain and thunderstorms for the past few days, and Thursday's outlook isn't promising for players or spectators either.
Although a washout would mean that India advances to the final as the higher-ranked team from the tournament's group stage, it wouldn't be too disappointing for them.
Although India appears to have the advantage, they would undoubtedly want their best batsman, Virat Kohli, to do well in this semi-final. Earlier in the Super Eight match against Bangladesh, Kohli was much more confident and stable at the plate, but he lost his wicket with a needless shot.
He died last Monday against Australia because he was unable to time the short ball. Unless England starts with Reece Topley and Jofra Archer, Kohli's assignment is not going to get any easier.
India needs a significant boost from Kohli since that Rohit Sharma, the captain, would not be able to unleash a blitz like he did against the Australians in every match. England has demonstrated its capacity to overcome difficult circumstances, thus they typically don't appear spooked or lacking in other strategies in the semi-finals and final.
Hence, Kohli and the other players in the top order must show some type of consistency since England cannot afford to keep making the same mistakes they have in the past.
Still, the fact that England enters the match having already lost to South Africa and Australia in the campaign is encouraging for an undefeated India. With its sharp turn and low bounce, the Providence pitch should also help spinners, something India's top spinner Kuldeep Yadav should like.
During the news conference on the eve of the match, Rohit did not rule out the option of playing four spinners. "We will evaluate the circumstances first, and then we'll make a decision about (playing) four spinners. On Wednesday, the captain stated, "We'll see."
England's roster includes the reliable Adil Rashid as well. Even on flat decks, the leg-spinner has caused problems for Indian hitters.
Should the weather stay cloudy, the quicks might be more important. Will India, however, alter their winning formula?
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
