Cricket: India's Sharma takes heart from wins in England, Stokes wary of Yadav
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India's Rohit Sharma bats during a net practice session at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, on Nov 8, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
ADELAIDE – Skipper Rohit Sharma says beating England in their backyard just a few months ago gives his India team confidence they can do it again in their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday.
The world’s highest-ranked cricket teams will clash at the Adelaide Oval for a place in Sunday’s final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Pakistan.
India made the semi-finals after winning four of their five Super 12 matches to top their group,
India edged out England 2-1 in both the T20 and 50-over series on their white-ball tour.
“Certainly going into the game it’ll give us some confidence because beating a team like England in England, obviously it’s a big challenge, and we overcame that challenge pretty well,” Sharma said on Wednesday.
“But again, we do understand the dynamics of this T20 cricket. You just have to be good on that particular day, otherwise it’s not good enough.”
England ended second in their World Cup Super 12 group and needed a nervy win over Sri Lanka to make the final four, but Sharma said Jos Buttler’s team remain “dangerous”.
“They’ve played some really good cricket in the tournament as well, which is why they’re here. So we’ve got to be at our best to win the game.”
The 35-year-old has been far from his best with the bat at the World Cup, but said he and the likes of in-form superstar Virat Kohli will not be defined by what happens in the semi-final.
“I think there’s a lot of effort that goes into putting ourselves and playing for the country and getting those efforts, getting those runs, getting those wickets,” said Sharma.
“So I really don’t believe that one bad game in the knockout can truly define what kind of player you are.”
Meanwhile, England Test captain Ben Stokes warned on Tuesday that England must nullify the threat of Suryakumar Yadav, saying the batsman has “set the world alight”.
The top-ranked Indians have been riding high on Yadav’s batting exploits, with the middle-order batsman in sparkling form with three half-centuries in Australia and 225 runs.
“Suryakumar obviously came in and set the world alight. He is a fantastic player and plays some shots where you (are) sort of just scratching the head sometimes,” said England all-rounder Stokes.
“He is in great form, but hopefully we can try and shut him down and not allow him to get on one of his rampages.”
Yadav played a key part in India finishing top of Group 2 and was at his destructive best in the final game against Zimbabwe with an unbeaten 61 of 25 balls.
The 32-year-old is known as a 360-degree player for his ability to hit the ball to all parts of the ground, including the audacious scoop shot over the wicket-keeper’s head for a six. AFP
