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England head coach Matthew Mott has cautioned his bowlers not to underestimate the currently out-of-form Virat Kohli in the upcoming T20 World Cup semifinal.
England and India are set to face off in a rematch of the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, which England won under Jos Buttler’s captaincy in Adelaide. The highly anticipated rematch will take place tonight at Providence Stadium in Guyana, where both teams are currently preparing rigorously during practice sessions.
England and India are poised for a high-stakes showdown in the upcoming T20 World Cup semifinal.
For England, this match holds significant importance following their disappointing performance in defending their previous white-ball title at the 2023 ODI World Cup. Jos Buttler’s team finished 7th in the tournament’s league stage, held in India after a 12-year gap.
Meanwhile, for India, winning this semifinal is crucial as they have not managed to win any semifinals since 2016. The last time they reached the final was in 2014, where they lost to eventual champions Sri Lanka. Adding to the stakes, this match marks the final assignment for head coach Rahul Dravid with the Indian team. Rohit Sharma and his teammates are determined to bid Dravid a fitting farewell by securing a spot in the final. Moreover, this is India’s last opportunity until February 2025 to break their ICC trophy drought.
In the past year, India came close to winning two international events but were thwarted by Australia in both the WTC final and the CWC final.
Ahead of the second semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2024, England head coach Matthew Mott has cautioned his bowlers against underestimating Virat Kohli’s potential impact.
Matthew Mott acknowledges Virat Kohli’s ability to deliver under pressure in knockout matches.
Despite Virat Kohli’s challenging run in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, where he has managed only 66 runs from six games with two ducks, Mott anticipates Kohli’s hunger to bounce back in the semifinals. Kohli’s highest score of the tournament was against Bangladesh in the second Super 8 game, but he was dismissed for a five-ball duck in the third Super 8 match against Australia.
Recognizing Kohli’s stature and enduring class, Mott emphasized that England has prepared comprehensively for his potential impact, aware of his capability to produce decisive performances when it matters most. we know how destructive he can be and we also know his game smarts. If the game demands an innings of a different nature, he’s got that skill.” – Mott told press reporters.
“So, he’s definitely a key player for them and like we’ve said throughout this tournament what’s happened throughout this tournament means nothing tomorrow when we face off against each other, big players step up in the big moments.” – Matthew Mott concluded.
