ICC World Cup: India to take on England in Lucknow: England won the toss opt to bowl
In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, India will take on England today at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium in Uttar Pradesh. The match will start at 2 PM in the afternoon.
England have won the toss and have opted to field
Rohit Sharma: We wanted to bat first, we have had a good time batting second. Looks like a good pitch, it’s a new surface which has been relayed here. It has played well for the 100 overs. I mean it’s quite important to think like that but it’s important to get the two points. We have played some good cricket. It’s always good to have a break. It’s nice to come back here and get back into business. We are playing the same team we played in the last game.
Jos Buttler: We are going to bowl first today. Not anything in particular, it’s a gut decision. It’s a great occasion and hopefully, today we bring our best. Today, we want to put up a good show. We haven’t done ourselves justice, today we want to put up a show and play for pride. Playing in front of a full crowd and against India, it’s a great occasion. We are going with the same team.
This was supposed to be the marquee clash of the tournament, between two of the pre-tournament favourties. It’s a surprise then we are where we are as India gets ready to take on England, in a clash that could potentially end even the glimmer of hope that the defending champions hold.
England themselves have uttered multiple times that the mathematical equation left gives them little hope with head coach Matthew Mott, skipper Jos Buttler and assistant coach Marcus Trescothick echoing each other’s thoughts. Having resigned to their fate already, the clash now has been dimmed of some shine.
Nevertheless, what it now could offer both teams some look ahead at individual gameplans and overall strategy despite not being a dead rubber, technically. India, without Hardik Pandya, would rest easy now given that they’ve won five games on the trot, but will be wary of reclaiming that form after a five-day break between games.
The next leg of games come thick and fast for them with one eye already glancing towards a potential semifinal clash, and at the pecking order at the top. For what it’s worth, there are still possibilities where India can not finish in the top four despite their run so far, and even a win tomorrow doesn’t guarantee them that. What it would do is hold them in good stead, and send out another strong message across the board about their form and help create an air of invincibility on home turf.
Given that they’ve been chasing all along the tournament, it could also offer them a chance to try the other route if the opportunity arises, and if the conditions are in favour.
Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan
England Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w/c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Brydon Carse, Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson
