Is Sanju Samson playing today's IND vs BAN 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 match?
Team India will look to continue their winning run when they take on Bangladesh in their second 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 game in Antigua on June 22. Rohit Sharma's Men rampaged through the group stage with wins over Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA. They then upstaged Afghanistan by 47 runs in their Super 8 opener.
Despite the impressive run, questions have been asked about India's batting frailties during the tournament. There was speculation about whether wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson could find a place in the playing XI. Unfortunately, the answer remains a strong no as the 29-year-old is set to miss the Bangladesh clash.
Skipper Rohit Sharma confirmed that the side is unchanged from their previous outing after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to chase.
"We wanted to bat first, that's what we got. Nice and hard pitch, it might depend on how the sun beats down on the pitch and makes it slow. We're playing the same team," said Rohit during the toss.
A major reason behind Samson's exclusion throughout the tournament has been Rishabh Pant's outstanding form. The southpaw is India's leading run-scorer with 116 runs at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of almost 132 on challenging pitches.
Victory against Bangladesh will almost seal India semi-final spot
Team India will look to make it two consecutive wins in the 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 to all but seal a semi-final spot. The Men in Blue have never lost a T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh despite close finishes in their last two meetings in 2016 and 2022.
Should India prevail for a fifth straight time against Bangladesh in T20 World Cups, they will reach four points in two outings on the Super 8 Group 1 table. For India to miss out on a semi-final berth from that position, it would require multiple scenarios. This includes Afghanistan to defeat Australia and Bangladesh and India to lose their final Super 8 clash against the Aussies.
Even if all these results occur, India will be in a three-way tie with Australia and Afghanistan and their net run-rate must be the lowest. Considering the improbability of the above, a win for Team India over Bangladesh almost certainly guarantees them a semi-final spot.