ICC World Twenty20 – 2nd semifinal: Can South Africa stifle irrepressible Team India?
India have been unstoppable in the tournament so far
Team India will head into this all important clash against South Africa totally unscathed in the tournament so far, and will want to come up with another swashbuckling performance. They have been imperious from the word go, and swept past their opponents with great disdain. The much maligned fast-bowling attack has stood up to the task, and the spin trio has relished bowling in the prevailing spinner-friendly conditions.
On the other hand, the road to the semi-final hasn’t been a smooth one for South Africa, but now that they are in the semi-finals, they would be very mindful of not choking again. After escaping a major banana skin in the form of Netherlands, the last-gasp victory against the Lankans would have restored swagger in that South African line-up, which is chock-a-block with T20 superstars.
But to make their first major final in over a decade, South Africa will have to bring their A-game to the fore, and would need Team India to not be at their best. Can South Africa actually stifle the high-flying Team India, and plot their way into the finals?
The biggest plus for Team India and Dhoni in this tournament so far has to be the way Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami have bowled up-front. Bhuvneshwar has got the ball to swing both ways, and after a long time, he finally looks like the bowler, who burst onto the scene superbly against Pakistan a year ago.
Mohammed Shami, albeit he hasn’t been on par with Bhuvneshwar, has gone about his business calmly, and will look to start afresh after being rested for the game against Australia.
South Africa, in order to trounce India, will have to go after these two Indian new ball bowlers, and make sure that they push Dhoni into thinking about plan-B. Dhoni hasn’t had a lot of thinking to do with regards to the bowling changes, and maybe putting the Indian new ball bowlers under the pump could enhance South Africa’s chances of upsetting the tournament favorites.
Also, the ineptness of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan to get Team India off to a good start hasn’t really cost the Men in Blue. Virat Kohli continues his rich vein of form, and as it seems, there’s absolutely no one, who can spot a chink in the India no.3. Kohli is yet another key personnel in the Indian line-up, and Dale Steyn could well be allotted the task of removing Virat Kohli fairly cheaply.
Team India, to me, look like a side that has to commit hara-kiri, if South Africa has to win. Because Team India has been firing on all cylinders during this T20 world cup, and I just can’t see South Africa having enough in their arsenal to topple India, and cause an upset.
Chokers’ could choke again!