Two tournaments more than a decade apart but the similarities are startling. India’s fortunes in the T20 World Cup have so far been alike that during their campaign in the 2007 50-over World Cup in the West Indies.

Back then, having been upset by Bangladesh in their opening group league match, they blew away Bermuda next with a total of 413, the highest of that World Cup. It didn’t mean much though as they lost to Sri Lanka and crashed out.

After two similar losses to Pakistan and New Zealand in the UAE, they cantered to 210 against Afghanistan on Wednesday, the tournament’s highest total. The resultant 66-run victory kept their slim hopes alive though they need to maintain the momentum versus Scotland on Friday.

Virat Kohli’s men will hope that unlike 2007, their resounding performances have consequence this time. Having improved their net run rate to positive, they will hope for Afghanistan to beat New Zealand so that they can further correct their net run rate in their final Super 12 match against Namibia on Monday.

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma has admitted that some of the decisions were wrong. “The approach was different (against Afghanistan). I wish it was in the first two games as well but it didn’t happen. But that can happen when you are on the road for a long time. Decision-making sometimes can be a problem and that’s exactly what happened in the first two games,” Rohit said at the post-match media conference.

“The amount of cricket that is being played and the amount of cricket we are playing, every time you step onto the field, you have to make the right decision,” Rohit said.

India and Scotland have never met in a T20I after their washed-out World Cup opener in 2007. India will once again be playing in Dubai and the threat of dew will force captains to bat second. Kohli has won the toss only once in eight T20Is in 2021.

However, Scotland doesn’t possess the same threat as other top nations. India will look to tame them with their spinners on the low and slow Dubai wicket.

The Indians realise a lot depends on Sunday’s New Zealand-Afghanistan match. Mujeeb-ur Rahman’s fitness is a concern though.

“I really wish if we could provide any physio support to them to get Mujeeb on the park,” quipped Ravichandran Ashwin.