Till Thursday, the elements were supposed to decide the outcome of the matches scheduled to take place at Lauderhill, Florida. But bright and clear weather early on Friday has opened the possibility of the India-Canada match taking place on Saturday.
The outcome will not in any way affect India since Rohit Sharma’s men have already booked their berth in Super 8 of the T20 World Cup with three victories in New York. Canada doesn’t have much at stake since they are already out of the tournament.
The forecast for Saturday is not promising though. Scattered thunderstorms are predicted, which means the match might be disrupted, partially or fully. The Indians cancelled their scheduled net session on Friday.
While the players and support staff reached Lauderhill on a chartered flight, the broadcasters and commentators’ arrival from New York to Miami was delayed because of flight disruptions.
If the match does take place, it will be an opportunity for the Indians to sort out their game plan and strategies. The Indians have performed remarkably well on an uncertain and dodgy wicket in New York, but Virat Kohli’s form has been a matter of concern.
The former captain has five runs at an average of 1.66, including a ‘golden duck’ against the USA. There’s talk that Kohli could be allowed to bat at his usual No. 3 position though the team management hasn’t indicated any such possibility.
Sunil Gavaskar felt that Kohli would soon return among runs and there was not much to worry about. For the record, Kohli has scored only 63 runs in the three innings at the venue, with a highest of 28.
“The biggest motivation for any player is to win matches, especially when you are playing for your country. He has done so well for India over the years and won so many games.
“We are in the early phases of the tournament... All he needs to do is show patience and faith in himself, which I think he has plenty,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
“When you get three low scores, it doesn’t mean he is not batting well. Sometimes you get good deliveries... So, there’s nothing to worry about. We have to show faith in him.”
His form has provided an interesting subplot to the game against tournament-debutants Canada. The low scores, particularly since he is opening alongside Rohit,
has put some pressure on the subsequent batters.
Creditably, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav have more than made up for Kohli. Pant made 36 and 42 against Ireland and Pakistan while Surya too got an unbeaten half-century against the USA to take India to victory.
India fielding coach T. Dilip said that the team never underestimates any opponent.
“We treat every opposition at the same level. Canada is also playing very good cricket. So we are more here to play (according to) our standards. We should fine tune our standards in every match to see how we can beat and improve,” Dilip said.
India have played eight T20Is in Florida, with five wins and two losses, along with a no result. Rohit Sharma is the leading run-getter for them at this venue, having scored 196 runs at an average of 49 and a strike rate of 153.12.
The bowlers have been on a roll. The question of whether Kuldeep Yadav should replace one of the pacers could gain prominence once the tournament moves into the Super 8 stage in the West Indies.
