Team India advanced to the Super 8 phase of the T20 World Cup 2024 by securing victories, against Ireland, Pakistan and the USA. Although their last group match against Canada was cancelled due to rain they managed to finish at the top of their group. Their upcoming matches in the round will be against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia, in the West Indies.
Despite not having played in the Caribbean former cricketer Stephen Fleming expressed confidence that Rohit Sharma’s team will adapt well to the conditions. Before the tournament, Rohit emphasized the strategic importance of including four spinners in the squad, a decision that Fleming believes will pay off in the Super 8 and possibly beyond.
Fleming commended India’s foresight in selecting players suited for spin-friendly pitches, which are prevalent in the West Indies. He highlighted that the Indian team has a well-balanced squad, capable of performing well in the upcoming matches.
Fleming, a former New Zealand captain and cricket legend, pointed out that Team India’s selection strategy has been astute, particularly in choosing bowlers who are in good form and can exploit the conditions effectively. He expects these bowlers to perform well in critical matches, especially if India progresses to the semifinals and the final.
According to Fleming, India’s preparation and player selection demonstrate their understanding of the playing conditions and the challenges they will face in the knockout stages.
Fleming said: “I like the job they’ve done, they’ve got through. This is a team that in some ways is picked for the finals in my view, it’s a team that has spinners that can dominate, it has players that can dominate spin and we’ve seen spin in the West Indies play quite a big part, not so much in New York,”
He added: “They’ve got job done and they’ve got quite smartly a view of mind, this is how we want to play the key games now going into hopefully the semi-finals and final. They’ve picked a team that they think may be playing a turning track, this will give us our best chance at the top and has good balance and we’ve seen that sort of in stops and starts and it’s just been because of conditions but I think they’re in good shape.”
Team India’s Super 8 schedule includes a match against Afghanistan on Thursday, June 20, in Barbados. They will then play against Bangladesh on June 22 in Antigua, followed by their final Super 8 game against Australia on June 24 in St. Lucia. With their strong lineup and strategic planning, the Indian team is poised to make a significant impact in the remaining stages of the T20 World Cup 2024.
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