(ANI Photo)
India captain Rohit Sharma playfully addressed concerns about rain affecting their upcoming semifinal against England in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit Sharma acknowledged the unpredictable weather conditions for the knockout match, emphasizing that weather is something beyond anyone’s control.
The Rohit Sharma-led team is set to clash with England in the semifinals at Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, June 27. India enters the match with an unbeaten record in the ICC tournament. It’s worth noting that England secured a convincing 10-wicket victory over India in the semifinals of the last T20 World Cup.
Unlike the first semifinal between South Africa and Afghanistan in Trinidad, which had a reserve day, there is no reserve day scheduled for the India-England semifinal due to the final being slated for June 29. Rain has affected the preparations of both teams, with showers reported on the eve of this highly anticipated match.
Rohit Sharma – Conditions Are In Nobody’s Control
During a press conference before India’s semifinal against England, Rohit Sharma jokingly remarked that if the match gets delayed due to weather, they might miss their chartered flight. Rohit quipped that ensuring timely travel to the next venue is now the responsibility of ICC and Cricket West Indies.
“The overhead conditions is in nobody’s control, you don’t know what is going to happen. The only thing I am worried is if the game goes on till pretty late we have a chartered flight and we might miss that,” said Rohit.
“But that is ok, it is the ICC and Cricket West Indies’ headache to get us to the next venue. We will focus on how we can play this game well and get the result in our favor. Two good cricket teams are going to play so it’s going to be a great game,” he added.
Don’t Think It Is An Advantage said Rohit Sharma
The 37-year-old batsman brushed aside suggestions of India having an unfair advantage in the T20 World Cup semifinals. Rohit emphasized that both Indian and English players are well-acquainted with the conditions in the West Indies. He further noted that their focus remains on playing excellent cricket to secure victory and advance to the final of the ICC tournament.
“I don’t think it is an advantage. A lot of these players have played in different types of venues. I am sure a lot of English cricketers have played here. So I don’t see it as an advantage, at the end of the day, you have to play good cricket to win. That is how I look at it,” Rohit further stated.
India was scheduled to play the second semifinal in Guyana primarily for viewership considerations. The first semifinal was set to commence at 6 am IST, while India’s match against England is scheduled for 8 pm IST. The ICC’s decision aimed to optimize viewership by catering to the significant Indian audience.
In the first semifinal, the South African team secured a convincing nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan, advancing to their maiden World Cup final. Led by Aiden Markram, South Africa chased down a target of 57 runs with 11.1 overs to spare at Trinidad.
