Jos Buttler’s second-ranked England, the reigning 50-over world champions are gaining momentum after a less-than convincing win over Afghanistan, a shock defeat to Ireland in a rain-hit match and a washout in opposition to Australia left them having to win their remaining two Super 12 matches.
England’s Ben Stokes celebrates after successful the ICC males’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match between England and Sri Lanka on the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on 5 November 2022. Picture: DAVID GRAY/AFP
ADELAIDE – England go right into a blockbuster semifinal conflict with red-hot India on the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday excessive on confidence after Ben Stokes’s batting heroics.
The Adelaide Oval is anticipated to be offered out for a conflict of the titans between the 2 top-ranked T20 groups in the world.
Jos Buttler’s second-ranked England, the reigning 50-over world champions are gaining momentum after a less-than convincing win over Afghanistan, a shock defeat to Ireland in a rain-hit match and a washout in opposition to Australia left them having to win their remaining two Super 12 matches.
They outplayed New Zealand earlier than an unbeaten 42 by Test captain Stokes, whose choice for the T20 group had come below hearth, ensured a tense win over Sri Lanka to safe a semifinal berth
“I know people have questioned his place in the team but when you need him he stands up,” mentioned tempo bowler Mark Wood of the all-rounder.
“Ben never looked fazed or anything like that because he has been there and done it. You think he is under pressure but he takes it in his stride.”
Buttler mentioned Stokes “can play a lot of roles” after the England talisman, who guided them to ODI World Cup success in a nerve-shredding 2019 remaining, stayed calm throughout a collapse whereas chasing 142 in Sydney to drive his group throughout the road with two balls to spare.
Buttler and Alex Hales have been in a position to get England off to nice begins and each hit half-centuries as the pair amassed an 81-run opening stand in 10 overs in opposition to a New Zealand assault led by Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
However quantity three Dawid Malan seems uncertain for the semis after he injured his groin and didn’t bat in opposition to Sri Lanka.
He could possibly be changed by Phil Salt who has not performed in the match thus far however smashed a match-winning 88 not out off 41 balls in opposition to Pakistan in Lahore simply over a month in the past.
Wood and Sam Curran have been excellent with the ball for England, who received the T20 crown in 2010.
Wood has bowled the quickest ball of the match at 155kph (96.3mph) whereas Curran has one of the best figures of any bowler thus far together with his 5 wickets for 10 runs in opposition to Afghanistan.
‘FREE SPIRIT’ SKY
The England bowlers should take care of s resurgent Virat Kohli, the highest scorer of the match, and new T20 quantity one-ranked batsman Suryakumar Yadav if they’re to halt the Rohit Sharma-led group’s march to a primary world title for the reason that 2013 Champions Trophy.
Kohli, who turned 34 on the weekend, has amassed 246 runs in 5 innings together with three match-winning unbeaten half-centuries to offer him a staggering match common of 123.
Yadav, nicknamed ‘SKY’, isn’t far behind with 225 runs at a median of 75 together with his arsenal of pyrotechnics together with sweeps and scoop photographs that hold the bowlers guessing.
“The way Surya is batting is wonderful. It’s free spirited, free will, he is at that stage of his career,” spinner Ravichandran Ashwin mentioned after his group’s 71-run hammering of Zimbabwe in their final Super 12 match on Sunday.
“He is no spring chicken but still pretty early in his international cricket. With the way he is playing, he is complementing a lot of other batters in the team.”
Yadav blasted an unbeaten 61 off 25 balls on the MCG in opposition to Zimbabwe as India topped Group 2 after successful 4 of their 5 matches.
India’s bowling assault have stepped up after main tempo bowler Jasprit Bumrah didn’t make the airplane to Australia due to damage.
Young left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh has taken 10 wickets, the identical quantity as Curran, and the 23-year-old has fashioned a potent seam assault with the skilled Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami.
“If Bhuvi and Arshdeep can get the ball to swing a little bit more, then Adelaide can become an even spicier contest from India’s point of view,” mentioned Ashwin.
It has been a large open World Cup with pitches throughout Australia providing a vary of challenges and loads of shock outcomes.
“If it’s slow we’ll play according to those situations,” mentioned coach Rahul Dravid, who mentioned India wouldn’t finalise their group till assessing the wicket.
“If we think it might play differently, then we’ll have to put up a squad to match that.”