June 15th 2024.
The weather put a damper on India's plans to face Canada in a warm-up match before the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. However, the team is still feeling confident after a strong performance in the group stage.
Their final match against Canada was called off due to a wet outfield, resulting in both teams receiving one point. India, with seven points, topped Group A and USA qualified as the second team. Canada finished third with three points.
India's confidence is largely due to the impressive efforts of their pacers in the group matches. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Siraj combined for a total of 20 wickets. Admittedly, the pitches in New York were not easy to play on, but these bowlers showed great skill and adaptability.
Arshdeep, in particular, was a standout performer. He was able to make the ball curve back from over the wicket, resulting in the dismissal of Shayan Jahangir. Andries Gous also fell victim to Arshdeep's bowling, unable to handle a short-pitched delivery.
On the batting front, skipper Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav's performances were also noteworthy. While Rohit and Suryakumar had a lackluster IPL season, they showed glimpses of their potential in the group stage. Pant, on the other hand, had a successful run in the IPL but many were still curious about his abilities in high-pressure situations. Pant proved his critics wrong with his impressive batting and wicket-keeping skills.
Hardik, who had a quiet IPL season as captain of the Mumbai Indians, also seemed to have found his rhythm in the World Cup. While his batting is yet to reach its full potential, his bowling has been impressive, troubling batters with his pace and variations.
However, not everything has been smooth sailing for India. The spinners, apart from Axar Patel, have had very little game time due to the nature of the pitches in New York. Axar did well, taking three wickets in six overs spread across three matches, but the other spinners, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, have yet to make an appearance in the tournament.
Things could have been different if the match against Canada had taken place as scheduled. The spin-friendly pitches in the West Indies could have given these players some much-needed game time. Nonetheless, this Indian team is known for thriving under pressure, and they will need to call upon that strength once again in the Super Eight stage.
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