T20 World Cup 2022: "These are the last two hurdles which they need to cross" - Pragyan Ojha on whether India will be relieved after reaching the semis
Pragyan Ojha wants Team India to up their game in the knockout phase of the T20 World Cup 2022 and end their long wait for a global ICC trophy.
The Men in Blue will face England in the second semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday, November 10. They will hope to win that game and the all-important final to win their second global title in the game's shortest format.
During an interaction on India Today, Ojha was asked whether the Indian team would be relieved after making at least the semi-finals, having failed to do so last year. He replied:
"The semi-finals and the knockouts are what these players would have been thinking about. Now that they have reached the semi-finals, they have to level up their performance and attitude because these are the last two hurdles which they need to cross."
Ojha feels Rohit Sharma & Co. are the favorites and have all the weapons in their arsenal to go all the way. The former Indian spinner said:
"There are two more steps to go and this team has everything in them to win the tournament, and they are the favorites. After that, they can take the foot off the pedal for a while because they deserve it."
in ICC Men's #T20WorldCup 2022, Semi-Final 2: Team India fans are bringing the songs to #BelieveInBlue! 💙
Check out how they welcomed the #MenInBlue at Adelaide, and cheer for 🇮🇳 in ICC Men's #T20WorldCup 2022, Semi-Final 2:
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The Men in Blue have not won a global ICC event since the 2013 Champions Trophy. They were eliminated in the group stage of last year's T20 World Cup and will hope to make up for it by lifting the trophy this time round.
"Everything they are getting is very well deserved" - Pragyan Ojha on India's preparation for the tournament
Ojha pointed out that India have been rewarded for the hard yards they put in ahead of the tournament. He explained:
"Everything they are getting is very well deserved because they have done everything that is possible to reach here. They have worked hard, they were there 18 days prior to the tournament, they prepared themselves well."
While lauding the Indian players for standing up whenever required, Ojha added that the Indian fans are eagerly awaiting the two knockout games. The cricketer-turned-analyst observed:
"Every situation that needed some extraordinary performance, one of them raised their hand. When they reached Adelaide they could make out what they had achieved. It is very important how they prepare themselves for the semi-final and the finals ahead. These are the two games every Indian is waiting for."
India vs England Semi-final at Adelaide is sold out.
India will have a slight advantage over England of having played in Adelaide before the semi-finals. They won a close encounter against Bangladesh in the Super 12 stage at the same venue.