Jasprit Bumrah of India celebrates the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer of West Indies during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens on March 1, 2026 in Kolkata, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: The mercury reached uncomfortable levels on Wednesday, with weather apps flashing warnings of “danger of dehydration and heatstroke if outside for extended periods”. There was an occasional light breeze, but not strong enough to make the afternoon pleasant. The pitch was scorching under the scorching sun for most of the day and the ground staff were gently rolling it to get it ready for the semi-final between India and England.From a distance it appeared to have a nice tinge of green, but it was a typical misleading subcontinental green. Its only job was to bind the surface together and prevent it from deteriorating and drying out more than normal. Naturally, the middle belt attracted the most attention as both teams trained on the eve of the game, with both camps humming similar tunes about how they expect him to deliver plenty of runs. As India practiced two days before the match, a light dew began to settle on the outfield, but it was not alarming. However, a sudden shift in weather patterns could make this another talking point.
Why will the semi-final match of India Vs. England a nightmare for bowlers | T20 World Cup 2026
Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel took a deep dive into the subject and explained at length why extra bounce on the field is a double-edged sword. Having played and watched a lot of cricket at the Wankhede, Morkel claimed that the margins are smaller here than at most venues because “the ball travels”.“Look, I think dew is always a big problem. But that’s something you can’t control again, which is bowling. I think there’s always that bit of bounce here at the Wankhede. Guys can trust the bounce and hit it over the line. But when I say that, as a bowler, it can bring you into the game. I just felt that small margins, or balls that are quite a bit smaller, balls that are quite a bit smaller. ground So yeah, you really have to fight, stay in the moment and compete for every ball because like I said a batsman’s strength can also be his weakness on this surface so sometimes you need to not be too defensive and attack because opportunities can come,” Morkel said at the pre-match press conference.The last time India played England at this venue they won by 150 runs. In that game, Abhishek Sharma smashed a 54-ball 135, including 13 sixes and seven boundaries, and the opener later picked up two wickets to seal an emphatic victory. However, the stakes are different this time as it is not a meaningless bilateral match but a T20 World Cup semi-final.Harry Brook’s England have set different conditions for progressing to the semi-final stage and Morkel is wary of the challenges he brings to the table. The former South African cricketer felt that the team that holds its nerve, reads the conditions well and is the fastest is likely to be the one to fly to Ahmedabad.“Playing against England, they’re a street-smart team. Obviously there’s a lot of quality in their side, batting quite long and deep, which makes them a very dangerous side. And then with the ball, they’ve got wicket-taking options as well. I think the way they approach a T20 game, fearless and trying to keep the game going, gives you opportunities to shoot between two teams, so I feel aggressive so it’s dangerous. The side, who can hold their nerve, play the conditions, read some conditions quite well and be the fastest, I reckon will have the upper hand,” Morkel added.Neither team has played a perfect game in the tournament so far. The two-time champions will face off in front of a big crowd and the outcome will depend on who dominates the challenge. India had their moments, closing important junctures in the games and managed to win all the matches except the one against South Africa.A heavy defeat in Ahmedabad stunned them and their remaining games became virtual knockouts and Suryakumar Yadav et al. they responded well to the challenges they faced. There were signs against Zimbabwe in Chennai that the batting unit was coming together, but there were early hiccups against the West Indies in Ahmedabad before Sanju Samson dropped the anchors and what a performance it was.However, the focus will not be on the batsmen but on India’s x-factor Varun Chakravarthy, who single-handedly destroyed England in the five-match T20I series. Varun returned with a 14-wicket haul and England’s batting was left clueless against the enigmatic spinner. The tournament started strongly for Varun but he seemed to lose his rhythm at the Super 8 stage. The habit of picking up a wicket in every game remains, but the breakthrough has not been the same, especially since the knock he received against South Africa in Ahmedabad.The day before the match, he returned to his single-stump bowling routine and the entire support staff rallied around him as the spinner completed the practice. The coaching staff had normal conversations with Varun to make sure he left feeling good about bowling. He is an important player who could be the difference between the two teams in Thursday’s high-pressure game.
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“I keep telling him that in our bowling line-up, with the skill and variation that Varun has, he has the ability to take a wicket almost every ball. So when he goes to the boundary, he hasn’t done as well as he can. For him, it’s just about going to the next ball and making sure he commits to that next ball. I think he’s a very skilful guy, once you go into the crease, it’s hard to pick him.” with the ball, getting the right pace and length and control and not trying to think it, I think with Varun he wants to be a great player for the team so he puts a bit of pressure on himself but yeah, he’s a match winner for us and for him it’s just to stay and bowl every ball and make sure it’s his best ball.India have been able to handle the pressure in their last two must-win matches. They need to adopt the same approach for two more matches if they are to become the only team in the world to win the T20 World Cup at home and defend the title. The Wankhede shootout is the first challenge.
