In their final T20 World Cup league match against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, India will be hoping that Abhishek Sharma gets back to his destructive ways and that the other batters step up their game against spin.
Abhishek has been one of the game’s most dangerous hitters for the past 18 months, but he hasn’t yet shown off his skills in the ICC event at home.
He was unable to play against Namibia because of a gastrointestinal ailment following a nought in the first match. For the second time in as many games, he was unable to score a run when he returned for the crucial Pakistan encounter. However, the absence of runs from Abhishek’s bat hasn’t hurt the team’s cause because Ishan Kishan is playing imperiously at the other end.
To be fair to the 25-year-old Abhishek, India has won several matches because of his daring strokeplay, and it might not be long before he makes even the best bowlers appear unimpressive once more. He might need to reevaluate his powerplay strategy, though, given that he has registered four ducks in his last six innings.
It is obvious that teams have prepared more to take on the India opener given his formidable credentials. Abhishek acknowledges that he lacks the variety of shots that other players in the lineup possess, and he uses his free-flowing bat swing and the crease to intimidate the opposition.
In the powerplay, he prefers to target the deep cover boundary, and teams have been wise to place a fielder there since the USA game. A deep mid-wicket was part of the identical field that Pakistan had prepared for him on Sunday, keeping in mind that he rarely attempts hits behind the wicket.
The Netherlands match offers Abhishek the perfect chance to get back among the runs, as India has already advanced to the next round of the competition.
India easily defeated Pakistan because of Kishan’s and the bowlers’ outstanding performance. But for the second consecutive game, the batters failed to exhibit Kishan’s level of conviction. Usman Tariq, another unconventional spinner, was able to silence the Indian batsmen in the Pakistan match after Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus had been able to disturb them with his round arm and behind the stumps variations.
Saim Ayub was also effective against the Indians. Despite the fact that Aryan Dutt and Roelof van der Merwe have been part of the Netherlands attack for some time, their spinners are not in the same league.
Regarding bowling, India may decide to rest a few players, including pace leader Jasprit Bumrah, prior to the Super 8s. The team management is anticipated to return to the two specialist pacers combination after selecting Kuldeep Yadav over Arshdeep Singh as the extra spin option in Colombo.
Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep are anticipated to start if Bumrah is rested. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy are the two most likely spinners.
The Netherlands must show a marked lift with both bat and ball if they are to challenge the defending champions. They were thrashed by the USA in their previous outing, a setback that followed an emphatic win over Namibia and exposed clear inconsistencies in their campaign. Ahmedabad has so far produced the highest total of the tournament in India — South Africa’s imposing 213/4 against Canada — but the trend has shifted slightly, with neither of the last two sides batting first managing to breach the 200-run barrier. It would be difficult to fill the biggest cricket stadium in the world on a pleasant Wednesday night, even with the Indian participation.
Teams (from):
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh
Netherlands: Scott Edwards (captain), Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Max O’Dowd, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar
