In Pictures: Team India celebrate Diwali
Taking some time out from their training schedule during the ongoing 2023 World Cup, members of the Indian cricket team celebrated the festival of lights, Diwali, on Saturday, November 11. Skipper Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav were seen posing with their better halves in some Diwali celebration pictures that have gone viral on social media.
The Men in Blue will take on Netherlands in their last group match of the 2023 World Cup at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, November 12. Hosts India have been in brilliant form in the ICC event, winning all their eight matches - the only team to not lose a single match in the tournament so far. After the game against the Dutch, they will face New Zealand in the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 15.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Team India celebrated Diwali, taking a short break from their cricketing schedule. Here are some pictures of the Men in Blue’s Diwali celebrations.
India began their 2023 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought six-wicket win over Australia in Chennai.
They have not looked back since and have registered triumphs over Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka and South Africa, most of them by comprehensive margins.
With a win over Netherlands on Sunday, they would head into the knockouts undefeated.
“We've had six days off” - Rahul Dravid hints Team India unlikely to make changes for Netherlands clash
Speaking ahead of the India-Netherlands clash, Team India head coach Rahul Dravid hinted that the Men in Blue are unlikely to make any changes for their last league game. He pointed out that the players have had a week’s rest and added that this is the only match they play before the knockouts.
"I mean, honestly, we've had six days off from the last game. So, we're pretty well rested. We've got one game before the semifinal, and the guys are in good shape. That's all I'll say without giving away much,” he said.
On whether Prasidh Krishna could get a game keeping the knockouts in mind, Dravid added:
"So now at this stage, it's about just focusing on getting the guys who you think are going to be playing in the XI in the best possible space mentally and physically, to be able to play that semi-final and, hopefully, the final if we earn it. So that will be the single-pointed thinking.”
India and Netherlands have met two times in the ODI World Cup, with the Men in Blue winning both games.