T20 World Cup 2022: 3 reasons why England will beat India in the second semi-final
England held their nerve against Sri Lanka in Match 39 of the 2022 T20 World Cup, beating them by four wickets in a tense chase and sealing their spot in the final four. They will come across Group 2 table-toppers India in the second semi-final at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10.
Jos Buttler and Co. have a couple of injury concerns to deal with ahead of the semi-final. Mark Wood complained of stiffness and didn't bowl at full tilt in the team's final practice session, while Dawid Malan wasn't seen in the regular nets. England have adequate replacements, though, and will back themselves to go one step further than they did last year in the T20 World Cup.
Here are three reasons why England will beat India in the second semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup.
#3 India haven't been able to hold their nerve in crunch moments
India have been one of the best white-ball sides over the last decade, but they've found silverware hard to come by. This is largely because they have squandered winning positions in a few crunch games, not just in ICC events but in bilateral series across formats.
Things might be different under Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, but India haven't shown enough composure under pressure. KL Rahul is known to be tentative in knockout matches, while others like Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav have occasionally been found wanting as well.
England might not be under the leadership of Eoin Morgan anymore, but they have several players who become the best versions of themselves in semi-finals and finals. When it comes to the mental aspect of the game, Buttler and Co. might be slightly ahead, although it must be said that this is a largely intangible aspect that might not come to much on Thursday.
#2 England's batting lineup is deep and power-packed
Malan's exclusion might make England's batting lineup even more power-packed than it already is. With Phil Salt likely to replace the left-hander at No. 3, the Three Lions have a plethora of match-winners from top to bottom.
Buttler and Alex Hales have put on impressive opening partnerships in the last two games, while Ben Stokes made his first significant batting contribution of the tournament against Sri Lanka. Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali and Harry Brook make up an imposingly powerful middle order, while Sam Curran and Chris Woakes are more than capable of batting higher up.
Batting depth and six-hitting ability are two of T20 cricket's primary requirements these days, and England have both in abundance. India do too, to a certain extent, but they're not on the same planet when it comes to these two aspects.
#1 India have clear weaknesses in their side
The main reason why England could beat India in the second semi-final is that the Men in Blue have clear weaknesses in their side that can't be immediately addressed.
Captain Rohit Sharma has only 89 runs in the 2022 T20 World Cup, while Rahul might be sucked into a shell once again. The batting lineup is heavily reliant on Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, but the duo can't pull the side out of the fire all the time. Hardik Pandya hasn't been anywhere near his best with the bat, and whoever is picked between Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant hasn't either.
India's spinners have struggled a touch, too. Ravichandran Ashwin has been better than the woefully expensive Axar Patel, but even he has found it difficult to adapt to venues Down Under. England are primed to exploit the clear weaknesses in India's side.