Match Details
England vs India, 2nd Semi-Final
Guyana, June 27, 10.30 am local time
The Big Picture – Adelaide Redux
Who knows where the England story stands now, especially after their woeful 50-over defence in India last year, and their tour of the Caribbean, which has been fuelled almost exclusively by their ruthless treatment of Associate rivals.
England, on the other hand, have been suffering from a very different emotion lately. Fear of failure has not been their thing, having finished bottom of the table in the white-ball game for a number of years, but after losing so many medals, they seemed to be plagued by anxiety in the 50-over World Cup, and then their group-stage defeat against the now-absent Australia in Barbados was also a cause for concern.
Now, though, you might be wondering if the team’s minimum fulfilment of expectations – reaching a fourth consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal – might make a difference in the mindset of a group of players who clearly know what it takes to cross the winning line. India haven’t won a World Cup since 2011; South Africa and Afghanistan, on the other side of the draw, have never won one. England could still be in the running for a third title in five years.
As Australia have demonstrated throughout their existence, familiarity with the unique pressures of knock-out competitions clearly matters. But so does the burning desire to prove a point that has been built up over the years. Assuming it doesn’t rain, some situation will have to be abandoned. Whatever it is, it will be a tempting one.
Form Guide
India WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England www.
In the headlines – Rohit, Butler, Rashid, Kuldeep
In such a high-stakes match, it is impossible to ignore the influence of two captains – openers and icons in their own right, and two players in such form that they have the power to determine their team’s chances.
Rohit Sharma That is exactly what he did in his blistering Australia display in St Lucia, throwing caution to the wind in his well-planned assault on Mitchell Starc – quite literally – and delving even deeper into his day job, in the uninhibited manner that has been his calling card since that infamously reticent display in Adelaide in 2022. Rohit’s deliberate breaking of India’s milestone-oriented mould may yet prove his most important legacy as captain, especially if he can secure the trophy that has eluded his country since he was a rookie in 2007.
Jos ButtlerConversely, Buttler has yet to relinquish his right to a foothold in any innings and his rapport with Phil Salt helps enormously in that regard but his whirlwind 38-ball 83 against the USA was a display of the kind of range-hitting his England teams habitually practise to showcase in the nets. Perhaps more than any other contemporary great, Buttler is a mood player – prone to deep introspection when his play goes awry, as it did in the 50-over World Cup campaign, but capable of astonishing peaks when his mind is in the right place. He is two games away from two consecutive T20 titles and right now it feels like that prospect is empowering him.
However, both players and their teams will face the challenge of two wrist spinners who have a good command over their respective games. Adil Rashid He was England’s leading bowler in the 2022 knockouts, taking 3 for 42 from eight overs against India and Pakistan, and after starting tentatively in the group stage, he has evolved over the tournament with an impeccable command over flight, pace and variation – his googly rarely failing to hit its mark.
Team News
India knew throughout the tournament that if they could perform well in the Super Eights, the Guyana semi-final would be in their favour. They have successfully changed to a spin-heavy line-up since coming through the group stage in the USA, so they are well placed to take advantage of the conditions in Providence. Hardik Pandya’s form as the third pacer provides options when needed and an unchanged XI is certainly on the cards.
India (Probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (captain), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.
Conversely, England may be tempted to tinker with the balance that served them well during the Super Eights, in the hope that four fast bowlers is at least one more suited to the conditions. Tom Hartley provides an additional left-arm spin option, but England being unable to give him a chance to debut in the rain-affected home series against Pakistan means he is now unlikely to be risked. More likely is that their batting will be strong, with the belief that six front-line bowlers will be enough. Will Jacks provides an additional spin option, but Ben Duckett’s proven skill in changing conditions could be an appealing addition.
England (Probable): 1 Jos Buttler (c & wk), 2 Phil Salt, 3 Will Jacks/Ben Duckett, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Chris Jordan/Reece Topley.
Pitch and conditions: Will rain affect the game?
Unlike the first semi-final in Trinidad, there is no reserve day scheduled for this match, with the ICC citing insufficient travel time ahead of the final in Barbados on Saturday morning. However, since the match is scheduled to start at 10.30am, there is an additional 250 minutes of play time, meaning some form of play is possible throughout the day barring heavy rain. Each side must play a minimum of 10 overs for a match to be decided.
However, if the match is abandoned due to rain, India will progress to the final after topping their group in the Super Eights.
Stats and Trivia
- England lost their match Only last completed T20I He had a stellar outing against the West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Guyana in his first match of the T20 World Cup campaign in 2010. Though he bounced back to win the title (after a rain-affected match against Ireland at the same venue), he won’t have a second chance this time around.
Citation
“Both teams will go out and attack each other for 40 overs. It is going to be a great contest. I think this is the match everyone wants to see and we are excited about it.”
England head coachMatthew Mott
“Wherever we play, be it a bilateral series or an ICC tournament, the Indian cricket team is always under pressure. That’s true. Most of the players are used to it, so it’s important to keep some calm in the dressing room.”
india captain Rohit Sharma
Andrew Miller is ESPNcricinfo’s UK editor. @miller_cricket
