Star batter Virat Kohli’s poor performance is a concern for India as they face Canada in their final group match of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. India hopes for clear skies in Florida, despite heavy rains in other parts of the state.
With three straight wins, India has already qualified for the Super Eight stage in the West Indies. Kohli, who was in great form during the IPL, scoring over 700 runs at a strike rate above 150, has struggled in the T20 World Cup. So far, he has only scored five runs in three matches, including a ‘Golden Duck’ against the USA.
New York ✅#TeamIndia arrive in Florida ? for their last group-stage match of the #T20WorldCup! ? pic.twitter.com/vstsaBbAQx
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 14, 2024
Kohli’s form adds interest to the otherwise inconsequential match against Canada. An 1850-km trip from New York to Florida might change his luck. The pitch in Broward County might be better than the one in New York, where uneven bounce and a slow outfield were major issues.
Kohli’s poor form hasn’t hurt the team much, but it has put pressure on other batters like Rohit Sharma. Fortunately, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav have stepped up, with Pant scoring 36 and 42 against Ireland and Pakistan, and Yadav hitting a crucial fifty against the USA.
Shivam Dube, despite his struggles, might get another chance ahead of Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal. If Jaiswal is included, Kohli may move back to his number 3 position.
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India’s bowling has been strong, 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 contribute more soon. There might be changes in the bowling lineup, with Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal possibly getting a chance.
Canada is relatively inexperienced but determined, as shown by their 12-run win over Ireland. Players like opener Aaron Johnson could surprise, but beating India will be a tough challenge. The game could be affected by rain, with Lauderhill near Miami, which is dealing with flash floods from a tropical storm.
