India will play against Canada in their final group match of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. There is concern about Virat Kohli's recent low scores as the team hopes for clear skies despite heavy rain in parts of Florida. India, with three consecutive wins, have already advanced to the Super Eight stage in the West Indies.
Kohli entered the T20 World Cup after a strong IPL season, scoring over 700 runs with a strike rate above 150 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Expectations were high for him to perform in the ICC event, which might be his last chance to win a World Cup for India after 13 years. However, in three matches, Kohli has scored only five runs, averaging 1.66, including a 'Golden Duck' against the USA.
This match against tournament newcomers Canada is inconsequential for India but holds interest due to Kohli's form. The pitch at Broward County Stadium may be less challenging than New York's, where uneven bounce and a slow outfield were significant issues.
Despite Kohli's struggles, the team's success has not been affected. However, his low scores as an opener with Rohit Sharma have added pressure on subsequent batters.
Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav have compensated well, with Pant scoring 36 and 42 against Ireland and Pakistan and Suryakumar hitting a crucial fifty against the USA.
Shivam Dube, despite a challenging start, managed a laboured 31 against the co-hosts, potentially securing another game over Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal. If Jaiswal is included, Kohli might return to his number 3 spot.
India's bowling has been effective, with Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh performing well. Pandya and Arshdeep have bounced back from a tough IPL season. The team hopes Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja will also pick up form soon.
India might make changes in the bowling line-up against Canada, possibly bringing in Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal for Jadeja and Axar Patel. This would help prepare for the spin-friendly pitches expected in the Caribbean.
Canada, although inexperienced, showed determination in their 12-run win over Ireland. Players like Aaron Johnson could surprise, but defeating a strong Indian side may be a tough challenge, with the team possibly relying on forecasted rain disruptions.
The match is set in Lauderhill, near Miami, which is experiencing flash floods from a tropical storm, posing a challenge for the event organisers aiming to promote cricket in the US market.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj.
Canada: Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Dilon Heyliger, Dilpreet Bajwa, Rishiv Joshi, Jeremy Gordon, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur (wk), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Ravinderpal Singh, Rayyankhan Pathan, Shreyas Movva (wk).
John Denham
