Can India set up a dream finale?

Men in Blue Could Gain From The Fact That Semifinal Rivals England Haven't Been Their Usual Bold, Expressive Selves

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Adelaide: The knockouts. This is what it has all been leading up to. This is what Rohit Sharma was made captain for, so the question may as well be asked: is this India’s best chance to break a nine-year drought?

The team hasn’t won any ICC event, in any white-ball format, since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Victory in the semifinal against England here on Thursday and they could have another shot at the title against effervescent Pakistan.

However, India also haven’t won a semifinal of a major ICC event for half a decade, not since beating Bangladesh in Birmingham in the 2017 Champions Trophy, and England are tough opponents.

What can go in India’s favour is that though England can weave magic on their day, they haven’t been their usual bold, expressive selves with the bat and have looked flat at times because of the difficult conditions in Australia at this time of year.

The bowlers, especially impressive death-overs specialist Sam Curran and others, have kept England in the hunt through a rather rocky road to the semis. The team also has some injury problems and Mark Wood and Dawid Malan are uncertain starters. Seize the early momentum in Adelaide and Thursday could be India’s day.