ADELAIDE, Nov 1: This week, the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia is all about the race for the semi-finals. With just a few matches to go, teams in the reckoning to get into the last-four stage will be looking to inch closer by correcting their mistakes and getting those crucial wins.
For India, their fourth Super 12 match against Group 2 opponents Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday is a good opportunity to correct the wrongs from their five-wicket loss to South Africa at Perth in order to keep themselves in the hunt for a spot in semi-finals.
“We’re very confident, but we know we have to play very, very well from here on if we want to win. It’s really a question of winning the next four games, really. You have to win the next four games to be able to win this tournament,” said Dravid’s at the pre-match press conference.
Against South Africa, India were undone by fiery pace and bounce from a tall four-man pace attack, led by Lungi Ngidi’s four wickets. Every batter faltered, barring Suryakumar Yadav, who made a brilliant counter-attacking 68 and carried India to a decent score.
Though the bowlers tried hard after picking the first three wickets quickly, they were unable to stop David Miller and Aiden Markram from reaching their respective half-centuries. There were also lapses in the field by India, a side which isn’t associated much with sloppy fielding efforts.
India would want for their top order to start firing in unison. Though Virat Kohli has been among the runs, they would wish for captain Rohit Sharma and a struggling KL Rahul to deliver.
Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik (if declared fit on morning of the match), would then have the job to double the score and indulge in some power-hitting.
With the ball, India need to decide how to make optimum use of the four overs from Ravichandran Ashwin, who can be handy against Bangladesh’s four left-handers.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, come into this match on the back of a thrilling three-run win over Zimbabwe in Brisbane. Pssacer Taskin Ahmed has been their standout performer with eight wickets in the tournament.
He has also been supported very well by fellow pacers Hasan Mahmud and Mustafizur Rahman.
With the bat, opener Najmul Hossain Shanto’s knock of 71 against Zimbabwe would please the team management. But they would still like for Shakib, Soumya Sarkar, and the finishers, Nurul Hasan and Yasir Ali to put up a strong show with the bat.
“All the eleven players which India have, they are all capable to play for India and that’s why they are a part of the team. We know what we are coming up against tomorrow. We know the challenges and try to plan accordingly, prepare ourselves and do our best,” added Shakib.
Match starts at 1:30 pm IST. (IANS)
