T20 World Cup 2022: 5 players who can light up the 2nd semi-final between India and England
Team India will take on England in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10. The Men in Blue progressed to the knockout round by finishing on top in Group 2, winning four of their five Super 12 matches. Their only loss came against South Africa in Perth.
Rohit Sharma and Co. began their campaign by getting the better of arch-rivals Pakistan in a pulsating encounter at the packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). They subsequently registered an easy win over the Netherlands. After going down to the Proteas, they got back on the winning track, getting the better of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe by five runs (via the D/L method) and 71 runs, respectively.
England’s T20 World Cup 2022 journey began with an unconvincing five-wicket win over Afghanistan. Things got tricky for the Englishmen after they were stunned by Ireland by five runs (via the D/L method).
Their much-hyped clash against Australia got washed out, but England recovered to come up with impressive wins over New Zealand (20 runs) and Sri Lanka (four wickets). They finished equal on points with the Aussies in Group 1 but progressed to the semis on the basis of having a superior net run rate.
A number of match-winners from both India and England will be displaying their skills during the second semi-final at the Adelaide Oval.
Here's a look at five names who could light up the knockout clash.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav
Team India’s Mr.360, Suryakumar Yadav seems to be batting on a different planet in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Those who have witnessed exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and subsequently for India in white-ball cricket would be least surprised.
Having said that, to succeed in a World Cup, without comprising on his “high-risk high-return” mode of batting, proves the amount of confidence he has in his ability. Irrespective of whether or not Suryakumar comes up with a significant knock in the semi-final against England, this World Cup will be remembered memorably for his incredible batting feats.
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At the same time, the 32-year-old will be raring to come up with a couple more game-defining performances (assuming India also reach the final) to close out a brilliant campaign on a high. England, of course, would be keen to stop Suryakumar's juggernaut.
#2 Virat Kohli
Till a few months back, if anybody had predicted that Virat Kohli would be the leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup 2022 after the Super 12 stage, he/she would not have found many takers. The former India captain struggled for runs and had a torrid tour of England, during which he looked completely out of sorts across all formats of the game.
A short break did wonders after which he made a sensational return during the Asia Cup. The rest, as they say, is history. The right-handed batter, who recently turned 34, has carried on his incredible form in the T20 World Cup as well. His knock against Pakistan was one for the ages. Some of the strokes he played towards the end of the game are still being marveled at.
Significantly, Kohli is making great use of his return to form and has already amassed 246 runs in five matches at an average of 123. He has crossed the half-century mark on three occasions and has remained unbeaten all three times. Having gone through an extended lean patch, the Team India star will be hungry to maximize his purple patch.
#3 Sam Curran
England all-rounder Sam Curran claimed a sensational five-fer in his team’s opening Super 12 match against Afghanistan. He has been among the wickets in subsequent games as well. In all, the left-arm seamer has claimed 10 wickets in four games, while maintaining an exceptional economy rate of 6.40.
While Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are England’s strike bowlers in the pace department, Curran could prove to be a greater threat considering the semi-final against India will be played on a used surface in Adelaide. The pitch is expected to be slightly slower in nature and cutters could be the order of the day.
Curran, being among the best exponents of the slower ball in the England camp, could trouble the Indian batters if he gets it right. His experience of having played against most of the big names in Indian cricket in the IPL might also come in handy.
There is also a psychological factor at play. The 24-year-old, for some reason, seems to reserve his best for India, irrespective of the format!
#4 Liam Livingstone
Apart from taking a couple of impressive catches, England big-hitter Liam Livingstone has done little of note in the T20 World Cup 2022. Coming into the event with humungous expectations from him, the 29-year-old has registered scores of 29*, one*, 20, and four. He did claim three wickets in the loss to Ireland, but a lot more would be expected from him with the bat in the semis against India.
Dawid Malan is unlikely to feature in the knockout match due to a groin injury he picked up in the game against Sri Lanka. Also, young Harry Brook has looked like a fish out of water.
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Being one of the most experienced members of the batting department, Livingstone will have to lift his game against the Men in Blue. If he does so, the maverick batter’s previous failures will be forgotten.
#5 Arshdeep Singh
Young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been an incredible success story in the T20 World Cup 2022. The selectors and team management placed their faith in him ahead of a few pacers with more exposure at the international level. The few games that he got to play prior to the ICC event were enough for him to impress the people who matter in Indian cricket.
He has definitely not let down any of his backers. In fact, if anything, he has only exceeded expectations. Not letting his lack of experience be an impediment, he has delivered some terrific spells both at the start and at the death. His dismissals of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in India’s opening Super 12 encounter set the tone for the team’s campaign.
Arshdeep hasn’t looked back after a great start. In five matches, he has claimed 10 wickets at an average of 14.10 and an economy rate of 7.83. He will not have it easy against England in the semi-final clash though. Openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler will look to target him. How Arshdeep responds could go a long way in determining the end result.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2022: 5 players who can light up the 1st semi-final between New Zealand and Pakistan