ST LUCIA: The small island, flanked by the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, is absolutely buzzing. For the last couple of days, cricket tourists, mostly Indians from the US and Canada, have been streaming in for an extended weekend. After Saturday night’s dramatic events in St Vincent, the excitement has skyrocketed.
Australia’s defeat to Afghanistan has opened up a tantalizing possibility for Indian fans both here and around the world: a chance for redemption. The loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad last November is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Now, India has the opportunity to settle the score. A win on Monday will not only secure a semifinal berth for India but could also eliminate Australia, provided Afghanistan beats Bangladesh later in the day.
The Indian team arrived late on Saturday night and canceled their Sunday practice session due to exhaustion and the extreme humidity in this part of the world. Despite this, they must be eager for the upcoming match. Given their current form, there’s no reason to doubt India’s ability to defeat their biggest rivals, Australia, and ease their path forward in the tournament.
The Darren Sammy International Stadium, the venue for this game, has been different from most other Caribbean venues. Scores here have fluctuated between 180-220, except for the last game between South Africa and England, which the Proteas won with 163. Normally, the ball comes onto the bat nicely here, which should be a relief for the Aussies, who were strangled by the Afghan bowlers on the super slow St Vincent track.
Australia’s decision to drop Mitchell Starc and include left-arm spinner Ashton Agar on Saturday didn’t quite pay off. Although Agar was economical (0/17), Starc’s explosive ability to dominate the Powerplay was missed. The Aussies might be tempted to bring Starc back for this crucial game, even though spinners have had a better economy rate in St Lucia (7.9) compared to pacers (9.4).
Captain Mitchell Marsh acknowledged the challenge but remained optimistic. “First things first, we have to recover. We have a lot of belief in our group because we know we are a good cricket team. We had an off night, but there’s a positive in the fact that in 36 hours, we go again. It’s a big game, a must-win. I think if you look back at the short history of this team, it brings out the best in our guys,” Marsh said on Saturday night.
For India, the path is straightforward. Every part of the Indian machine has been functioning smoothly, and it’s just about maintaining their current form. No changes are expected in the playing XI. With Jasprit Bumrah in outstanding form, the threat of Travis Head at the top can be neutralized. Head has caused India plenty of trouble across formats, but he is coming off a failure against Afghanistan.
All signs point to a perfect day for Team India and its fans. It’s now up to Rohit Sharma and his team to keep their composure and continue the excellent performance they’ve shown in the World Cup so far.
