The Indian Cricket Team kickstarts their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland in their opening fixture at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York at 8:00PM IST.
After the pitch incident in Tuesday’s match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, unpredictability has become the main feature at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches, especially those in New York. For the Indian team, this means entering uncertain territory, making it more like a risky game of chance than a regular cricket match. South Africa can confirm this experience.
Given the pitch conditions at Nassau, it’s better to field first if you win the toss. Here are the key players Rohit Sharma would be banking on for India’s fixture against Ireland.
Virat Kohli
No one chases targets better than the Chase Master, Virat Kohli.
He is one of those few guys in international cricket who has the ability to absorb the pressure like a sponge and deliver the goods for his team, especially during the crucial games.
Kohli has played many crucial innings while chasing in the previous editions of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2016 Kohli played an outstanding knock against Australia in the quarter-final, scoring 82* off 51 balls to help India reach the semi-finals. Another memorable chase was against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he scored 82* off 53 balls to lead India to a thrilling victory.
When chasing in T20 Internationals, Kohli has an impressive average of around 69 and a strike rate touching 136. Kohli would be a key asset for Rohit and the Indian Cricket Team not only for today’s game but also for the remainder of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Suryakumar Yadav
With the ice in his veins, Suryakumar Yadav has the ability to turn the game in India’s favor just in the matter of a couple of deliveries.
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar was impressive, scoring crucial runs in tight situations. His quickfire 68 off 40 balls against South Africa at Perth helped India stay in the game despite a challenging target.
Suryakumar Yadav’s average while chasing in T20 Internationals is around 42, with a strike rate of approximately 175. His ability to consistently score runs at a fast pace makes him a valuable asset for the Indian Cricket Team during run-chases.
India always lacked someone who could finish games for the team, especially during crucial situations. However the arrival of Suryakumar Yadav has given India the confidence and hope that the men in blue can come out victorious out of the toughest situations given.
Jasprit Bumrah
There’s no one greater than the leader of the Indian bowling cartel than Jasprit Bumrah when we talk about key players delivering it on the big stage.
Bumrah has delivered many crucial performances for India in T20 World Cups. He bowled a brilliant spell against Pakistan taking 2 wickets for just 23 runs, helping India to a crucial win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2016. In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, he again showed his class with a tight spell against New Zealand, conceding just 19 runs in his 4 overs and scalping 2 important wickets.
In T20 Internationals, Bumrah averages 21.03, which is excellent for a fast bowler. His ability to bowl accurately and take wickets at regular intervals makes him a key player for India not just for the game against Ireland but also for the upcoming games in the tournament.
The only time India and Ireland met in a ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture was in 2009 at Trent Bridge, where India won by eight wickets. Rohit Sharma is the only player from that match who is still part of the Indian team.
Ireland is known for playing fearless cricket, but the Indian Cricket Team is used to this style, especially after a competitive two-month-long IPL. The match might not see scores over 200 like in the IPL. A total of 170-180 could be enough to win, unless the pitch at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium behaves unexpectedly.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
