The Indian cricket team ended their 11-year wait for an ICC trophy after they defeated South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling T20 World Cup 2024 final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on June 29, 2024. India and South Africa named an unchanged playing XI after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. India got off to a flying start as openers Rohit and Virat Kohli added 23 runs before Keshav Maharaj removed the Indian captain (9) in the second over.

The Men in Blue then suffered massive blows as Rishabh Pant (0) and Suryakumar Yadav (3) departed in quick succession.

Kohli (76) later stitched crucial partnerships with Axar Patel (47) and Shivam Dube (27) to propel India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.

Defending 176, Jasprit Bumrah provided India an early breakthrough as he cleaned up Reeza Hendricks (4) with a sensational delivery.

Arshdeep Singh later bagged the huge wicket of captain Aiden Markram (4) to reduce South Africa to 12/2.

Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31) then stitched a crucial 58-run stand to bring the Proteas back into the game.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel ended the partnership as he castled Stubbs (31) before Arshdeep removed de Kock (39).

Batting at No.5, Heinrich Klaasen later slammed a blitzkrieg fifty to put South Africa in a great position.

However, Hardik Pandya dismissed Klaasen (52) in the 17th over to change the fortune in India’s favour.

At the other end, Bumrah continued his brilliant spell as he removed Marco Jansen (2).

As South Africa needed 16 off the final over, Pandya bagged the huge wicket of David Miller (21) courtesy of an incredible catch by Suryakumar Yadav.

Pandya later kept his calm to guide India to their second T20 World Cup title.

With a nail-biting win, we take a look at five points that helped India clinch the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Jasprit Bumrah’s match-defining spell

Jasprit Bumrah produced a spell for the ages to help India clinch their second T20 World Cup title after 17 years. With 30 required off 30 balls, Rohit Sharma once again showed his faith in Bumrah. The India’s bowling spearhead responded as he conceded just four runs in the 16th over and later gave away only two runs in the 18th over including picking up Jansen’s wicket to pull things for the Men in Blue. Bumrah ended with figures of 4-0-18-2 to guide India to the coveted title.

Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch

Suryakumar Yadav took a breathtaking catch in the final over of the T20 World Cup 2024 final as he played a pivotal role in helping India clinch the title. As South Africa needed 16 off the final six deliveries, Pandya removed the dangerous David Miller after he miscued a huge hit over long off. Suryakumar later produced an incredible fielding effort to help dismiss Miller and claim a crucial wicket.

Axar Patel’s all-round effort

Axar Patel was one of the standout performers for India in their thrilling win over South Africa. Reeling at 34/3, Axar stitched an important partnership with Kohli to bring India back into the game. Axar and Kohli forged a 72-run stand for the fourth wicket before he departed in an unfortunate run-out. The southpaw scored 47 off 31 balls, laced with one four and four sixes. Later, Axar also contributed with the bowl and claimed the huge wicket of Tristan Stubbs.

Virat Kohli’s match-winning fifty

Virat Kohli played another match-winning knock as he helped India post a fighting total at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. While Kohli was short on runs heading into the final, the Indian talisman once again rose to the occasion when the team needed the most. After India were reduced to 34/3, Kohli established important partnerships with Axar and Dube to guide India to over 170. Kohli scored 59-ball 76 which included six fours and two sixes.

Hardik Pandya’s crucial spell

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya provided India with crucial breakthroughs throughout the match to help them defend 176 against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. After the Indian spin duo of Axar Patel (1/49) and Kuldeep Yadav (0/45) were expensive on the day, the Rohit Sharma-led side needed someone to step up with the ball. Hardik was given the responsibility and he grabbed it with both hands. The right-arm pacer first bagged the massive wicket of Heinrich Klaasen and later removed David Miller and Kagiso Rabada in the final over of the game to finish with figures of 3-0-20-3. Hardik’s impressive spell was one of the standout performances that guided India to their second T20 World Cup title after 17 years.

The highly anticipated final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024, will feature a thrilling showdown between South Africa and India. This grand finale is scheduled to take place at the historic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 29, commencing at 08:00 PM IST.

SA vs IND, Final Preview

South Africa comes into the final with significant momentum, having secured a commanding nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their previous match. Key to this success was the performance of Tabraiz Shamsi, who earned an impressive 107 fantasy points, showcasing his pivotal role in the team’s spin bowling attack.

India, on the other hand, delivered a dominant performance in their semi-final clash against England, winning by a substantial margin of 68 runs. Kuldeep Yadav was the standout performer for India, scoring 123 fantasy points thanks to his exceptional bowling skills, which will be crucial in the final.

SA vs IND, Head-to-Head

In their last encounter during the third T20I of a bilateral series in South Africa in 2023, the two teams demonstrated their competitive spirit. Keshav Maharaj was South Africa’s top fantasy scorer with 65 points, while Kuldeep Yadav led the charge for India with a remarkable 187 fantasy points.

Historically, in the 26 matches played between these two cricketing giants, the batters from both sides have consistently accumulated the most fantasy points, highlighting the importance of batting prowess in this rivalry.

SA vs IND, Top Players to Watch Out For

Arshdeep Singh (IND)

Arshdeep Singh, a left-arm medium-fast bowler, has been in superb form, taking 12 wickets in his last five matches. His ability to take crucial wickets makes him a key player to watch out for in the final.

Hardik Pandya (IND)

Hardik Pandya, known for his all-round capabilities, has been a vital asset for India. In his recent three outings, he has scored 132 runs in the recent five matches and has picked up three wickets with the ball.

Rishabh Pant (IND)

Rishabh Pant, a dynamic left-handed top-order batter and wicketkeeper, has had a mixed run in this tournament, with 171 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 28.50. Despite the inconsistency, his aggressive batting style can turn the game around.

Tabraiz Shamsi (SA)

Tabraiz Shamsi, a slow left-arm chinaman bowler, has been a standout performer for South Africa, taking 11 wickets at an average of 9.3 in his last four matches. His wicket-taking ability will be crucial in the final against India.

Quinton de Kock (SA)

Quinton de Kock, a left-handed top-order batter and wicketkeeper, has shown his class with 204 runs in the recent eight matches at a strike rate of 143.66. His experience and ability to score runs quickly make him a key player for South Africa.

Marco Jansen (SA)

Marco Jansen, an all-rounder who bowls left-arm medium-fast, has taken six wickets in this tournament. With the bat, he has contributed 30 runs, showcasing his versatility and importance to the team.

Conclusion

Given their performances in the tournament so far, South Africa will rely on their strong bowling line-up, led by the likes of Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen. However, India’s balanced team, featuring impactful players like Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh, cannot be underestimated. This final promises to be a gripping contest, with both teams vying for the prestigious title.

Indian cricket team fast bowler Arshdeep Singh celebrates after taking a wicket© AFP

File image of Jasprit Bumrah at the 2024 T20 World Cup.© AFP

Following their side’s win over Australia in the Super Eights ICC T20 World Cup clash, Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh and spinner Kuldeep Yadav discussed team’s strategies during their win, with Arshdeep heaping praises on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for bowling “like a video game”. Rohit Sharma’s swashbuckling 92 followed by Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav’s influential spells along with Axar Patel’s one-handed stunner sealed a 24-run win for India against Australia and sealed their berth in the semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Following the game, in a video posted by the official Instagram handle of the Indian cricket team, Arshdeep questioned how difficult it was for Kuldeep to first bowl with the wind and then against the wind. 

To this Kuldeep replied, “It was difficult because automatically my ball comes in for the right-handed batter. Obviously, the righty was trying to target the left side. I was just reading the batsman and what he was expecting. As soon as I started the first over, I tried to put in a fuller ball, a flipper. I tried to put in a fuller ball because if he sweeps, there is a chance for us (for a wicket).”

“Then I was throwing the wrong’un from there. So, he was confused that I was putting in two balls. I put in only two balls in the first over. Both of them were confused that I could put in a fuller or a wide wrong’un. So, firstly, this was the plan. Then, in the second over, obviously, the catch that Axar took was a really good catch. Maybe, from there, the game opened up for us,” he added.

Talking about his efficiency with the new ball, Arshdeep, who has taken 15 wickets in the tournament so far, said that it has not been very difficult for him with Bumrah doing so well with the ball, creating pressure on batters and forcing them to go for big shots, which produced wickets for India.

“I do not think there is anything difficult about that at this time (bowling with new ball). Because Jassi is bowling like a video game, with an economy rate of just two or three runs. Whatever pressure the batter feels, he takes it out on me. He plays high-risk shots, I get a lot of wickets through them,” said Arshdeep.

“I will say that he gets a lot of credit. All the other bowlers are very big in the partnership. They stop runs from one end and get wickets from the other end. I guess as a bowling unit, everyone is clicking very well,” he added.

Rohit’s 92 helped India put up 205/5 on the board and restricted Australia to 181/7 in their 20 overs despite Travis Head’s counter-attacking 76 in 43 balls, with nine fours and four sixes. After Bangladesh’s loss to Afghanistan, Australia was eliminated from the tournament, getting just one win and facing two losses in Super Eights, including one to Afghanistan.

India will next take on England in the semifinals at Guyana on Thursday.

India will face Bangladesh in the Super Eights Match 7 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, on June 22 at 08:00 PM IST.

IND vs BAN (India vs Bangladesh), Super Eight – Match 7 – Match Information

Match: India vs Bangladesh, Super Eight – Match 7

Date: June 22, 2024

Time: 08:00 PM IST

Venue: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua

IND vs BAN, Super Eight – Match 7 Preview

In the last match played by India, they beat Afghanistan by 47 runs. The top fantasy player for India was Jasprit Bumrah who scored 101 fantasy points.

In Bangladesh’s last match in this tournament, they lost to Australia by 28 runs (DLS method). The top fantasy player for Bangladesh was Rishad Hossain who scored 72 fantasy points.

IND vs BAN, Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is balanced. The average first-innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 78 runs. Both teams will look to chase upon winning the toss as the majority of the games played on this ground have been won by the side chasing.

Pace or Spin?

The venue is suited for both pacers and spinners alike.

Weather Report

The temperature is expected to be around 29 degrees Celsius with 74% humidity. Winds at a speed of 6.85 m/s are expected. There is light rain expected which may affect playing conditions.

IND vs BAN, Head-to-Head

In the 13 matches played between these two teams, Bangladesh do not have a good record against India. Based on our analysis and trends, we predict the trend to continue. Bangladesh’s bowlers have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while the batters have earned the most fantasy points for India.

Both teams last played against each other in the 1st Semi-Final of the Asian Games Men’s T20I, 2023, where Tilak Varma scored the highest fantasy points for India with 134 points while Parvez Hossain Emon topped the fantasy points leaderboard for Bangladesh with 31 points.

IND vs BAN, Fantasy Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Arshdeep Singh (IND)

Arshdeep Singh is a fast bowler with an average of 61 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of eight and is a fairly consistent player in terms of fantasy points. The left-arm pacer has taken 12 wickets in the recent five T20 matches.

Hardik Pandya (IND)

Hardik Pandya is a batting all-rounder with an average of 61 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.3 and is a very consistent player in terms of fantasy points. The right-handed batter has scored 39 runs in the recent four matches. Hardik is also a handy bowler, bowling right-arm medium-fast, he has taken seven wickets in the recent four matches.

Mustafizur Rahman (BAN)

Mustafizur Rahman is a good-to-have player for your Dream11 Fantasy Team. he has an average of 58 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.3. Mustafizur is a left-arm fast-medium bowler and in the recent five matches, he has taken seven wickets.

Axar Patel (IND)

Axar Patel is a bowling all-rounder with an average of 56 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 7.9 and is a safe bet for your Dream11 Fantasy Team. The left-handed batter has scored 32 runs in the recent five matches. He can also give you some bowling fantasy points, bowling slow left-arm orthodox and in recent matches, he has taken five wickets.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib (BAN)

Tanzim Hasan Sakib is a fast bowler with an average of 46 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.1 and can be a high-risk, high-returns pick for your Dream11 Team. The right-arm pacer has taken nine wickets in the recent five matches.

Virat Kohli (IND)

Virat Kohli can be a good pick for your Dream11 Team. He has an average of 45 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.5. The top-order batter has scored 29 runs in the last five matches.

Shakib Al Hasan (BAN)

Shakib Al Hasan is an all-rounder with an average of 40 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.1 and is a fairly consistent player in terms of fantasy points. The left-handed batter has scored 100 runs in the recent five matches. He also bowls decently, bowling slow left-arm orthodox and in recent matches, he has taken two wickets.

Rohit Sharma (IND)

Rohit Sharma can be a high-risk, high-returns pick for your Dream11 Team. He has an average of 32 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.1. The top-order batter has scored 99 runs in the recent five matches.

Tanzid Hasan (BAN)

Tanzid Hasan is a batter with an average of 31 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 7.7 and can be a high-risk, high-returns pick for your Dream11 Team. The top-order batter has scored 47 runs averaging 9.4 per match in the recently played five matches.

IND vs BAN, Squads

India (IND): Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill (travelling reserve), Rinku Singh (travelling reserve), Khaleel Ahmed (travelling reserve) and Avesh Khan (travelling reserve).

Bangladesh (BAN): Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Afif Hossain(travelling reserve) and Hasan Mahmud (travelling reserve).

IND vs BAN, Possible Playing XI

Bangladesh (BAN) Possible Playing XI: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Rishad Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman

India (IND) Possible Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah.

IND vs BAN, Fantasy Team

Wicket-Keeper: Rishabh Pant and Litton Das

Batters: Suryakumar Yadav, Towhid Hridoy and Rohit Sharma

All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Shakib Al Hasan, Axar Patel and Mahmudullah

Bowlers: Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Jasprit Bumrah

Captain: Rishabh Pant

Vice-Captain: Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Suryakumar Yadav played fearlessly on a testing surface before India tightened the noose around Afghanistan with a clinical bowling performance to script a commanding 47-run win in their opening Super 8 fixture of the T20 World Cup on Thursday. Rashid Khan (3/26) improved his ordinary record against India before Suryakumar (53 off 28) played like he only can to take his team to 181 for 8 after India decided to bat on a surface where it was difficult to hit through the line. Afghanistan were never in the run chase and folded up for 134 in exactly 20 overs. The questionable shot selection from the Afghan batters contributed to their downfall, extending their winless run against India.

Jasprit Bumrah (3/7 in four overs) was too good for the opposition again while Kuldeep Yadav (2/32), playing his first game of the tournament, also made an impact.

India’s next Super 8 fixture against Bangladesh will take place in in Antigua on Saturday.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11 off 8), who announced his intent with a six and four off Arshdeep Singh, went for a rash shot against Bumrah in the second over of the innings to be caught behind.

Hazratullah Zazai, brought into the squad in place of the injured Mujeeb Zadran, was Bumrah’s next victim as his attempted flick off a cutter from the Indian pace spearhead went straight into the safe hands of Ravindra Jadeja at backward point.

Kuldeep, who replaced Mohammed Siraj in the playing eleven, operated in the middle overs and sent back Gulbadin Naib (17) with a wrong one in the 11th over.

Azmatullah Omarzai (26 off 20) was the top-scored for Afghanistan. The fall of wickets through the innings did not allow Afghanistan to get back in the game.

Earlier, Suryakumar was back to his nonchalant best and picked the boundaries at will on a track where the other batters struggled to get going. The other notable contributions came from Rishabh Pant (20 off 11), who too found the boundaries from the word go and Hardik Pandya (32 off 24).

Virat Kohli (24 off 24) got into the double digits for the first time in this tournament but was dismissed just when he was getting set.

Rashid (3/26), who had not picked up a wicket against India prior to this game, struck in his first three overs to put pressure on the opposition.

India expectedly opt to bat at the Kensington Oval and the way the ball held up on the pitch early one, it seemed playing through the line will be tough.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (8) tried to push the scoring rate in third over from Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/33) but was caught at mid-on after finding the toe end of his bat.

Rashid brought himself on right after the Powerplay with India reaching 47 for one. The star spinner sent back the dangerous Pant in the seventh over. The southpaw once again was not afraid to employ the sweep and audacious reverse sweep against the spinners before eventually falling to Rashid.

After Kohli was caught at long-off in Rashid’s second over, India felt the heat. Suryarkumar eased the tension with a flurry of sweeps against Rashid before the spinner got his third scalp in the form of Shivam Dube (10), who was trapped in front after the ball turned back in sharply and crashed into his back leg.

Surya kept finding the big hits from the other end. He outrageously whipped a wide full toss from Azmatullah Omarzai to deep square-leg before a six and four off Farooqi took him to a well made half-century.

After Surya’s departure, Hardik then got into the act and hammered the ball into the stands on couple of occasions. His straight six off left-arm spinner Noor Ahmed was all brute power, almost shattering the window of the press box. In the end, India did well to post their highest total at the historic venue which in the end proved to be unassailable.

Are the Indian cricket team members, upon whom rest the responsibility of bringing the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy home, really in great form? Not really. Virat Kohli finished as the top run-scorer while Jasprit Bumrah also did well. However, there are two very important names, whose IPL 2024 form left a lot to be desired – Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya – both two important characters of a hugely-debated Mumbai Indians captaincy change. Though Rohit Sharma scored 417 runs in 14 matches in the IPL 2024, he had a string of low scores as an opener in the IPL 2024. 

Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, did well with the ball in the latter stages but overall the fast bowling allrounder wasn’t his best for MI in the IPL 2024. 

Sourav Ganguly, former BCCI president and ex-Indian cricket team coach, was asked about the duo form going into the T20 World Cup 2024. 

“No, I am not worried. Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality. So, I am not worried about Rohit. He has scored runs across the world, and has played a lot of cricket and will surely do the job expected of him,” Sourav Ganguly told Revsportz. 

“Hardik is different because he doesn’t play that much cricket, and that’s a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form. I would want him to do so, and it can only happen if he plays a lot more cricket.”

Ganguly was also asked if the form of Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep was a concern too ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. 

“I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn’t have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption,” Ganguly said.  

Punjab Kings didn’t utilise young Arshdeep Singh properly during the just-concluded IPL but the left-arm pacer can be very effective during the death overs at the T20 World Cup along with Jasprit Bumrah, reckons former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh. The left-arm seamer got 19 wickets from 14 games but an economy rate of 10.03, primarily due to the ‘impact player’ onslaught left him a bit dazed. RP Singh, India’s bowling hero in the 2007 edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa, said he will prefer Arshdeep over Mohammed Siraj.

“If we assess Arshdeep on the basis of his IPL performance, I think he hasn’t been utilised well,” RP Singh said while replying to a PTI query during a promotional event where the Indian team’s jersey was unveiled for the inaugural World Championship of Legends.

“The utilisation of the bowlers also depends on their captain, in which conditions he uses them, in which situation he makes them bowl and how best that he thinks his bowler is.” RP Singh, feels that wicket at Nassau County will be on the slower side and Arshdeep rather than bowling pacey length deliveries should focus on cutters.

“Talking about the length on the tracks in USA during an early morning start, as per my understanding, there should a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length.

“There will be not a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only just yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters. These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US.” RP feels that Jasprit Bumrah should ideally bowl three overs in the back-10 as that would put pressure on opposition batting unit.

“Death bowling is really important in T20 cricket. Bumrah may bowl three overs in the death. He is our mainstay there. My preference alongside Bumrah in the death is Arshdeep over Siraj because of the variations he has. I think Siraj can be impactful in a game when he is bowling with the new ball. Otherwise, it should be Bumrah and Arshdeep.” Arshdeep, as a left-armer, will always create those difficult angles for right-handers and hence becomes an important cog in the wheel. The World T20 reserves also has another left-armer in Khaleel Ahmed.

“Left arm pacers are always an advantage especially against right-handed batters. It is not like two or more left-arm seamers can’t play together. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and I have played in multiple games together.” For the perfect balance, Hardik Pandya needs to bowl his full quota of overs as it would give the team the luxury to play three specialist spinners and a chance to include Yuzvendra Chahal alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the eleven.

“Hardik bowled in the IPL and bowled four overs so there’s no injury scare. Hardik’s bowling will be important and he will have to bowl all his quota of 4-overs. If Shivam Dube bowls too, then it will be an added advantage for India ahead.

“Shivam may not play some matches initially but whenever he plays, he will perform well and score runs for India.”

Former India cricketer Rahul Sharma wants Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack in the upcoming T2O World Cup in the USA and West Indies with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department. The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on Sunday (as per IST) with co-host the United States taking on Canada in the tournament opener in Texas. India will take on Ireland in their T20 World Cup opening match in New York on June 5 before the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9.

The Indian squad includes four spinners (Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel) and three pacers with two all-rounders. Chahal is making his comeback in the Indian team after July 2023 and was in red-hot form in the IPL 2024. With slow and turning drop-in pitches in the USA, Sharma thought that Jadeja along with Kuldeep would be a much better option than Axar and Chahal.

“We don’t know how the pitches in the USA will behave but as far I know the conditions there and some of the reports that are coming I will field Kuldeep Yadav along with experienced Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department and will want Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack,” Rahul Sharma told IANS at the inaugural event of Team India Champions.

“With four bowling options, and Hardik Pandya or Shivam Dube as all-rounder and fifth bowling option the Indian squad will look balanced and it will be easy for skipper Rohit Sharma to use the bowlers,” he added.

When asked about who he would like to see as the finisher role for the Indian team, Rahul Sharma said, “Seeing the way Shivam Dube has batted in this edition of IPL, especially against spinners it was amazing to see and also, he can be used as a bowler too. He dominated against spinners, batted sensibly against pacers, and didn’t look in any trouble. “So, for me, he must be given the responsibility of finishing the matches. And also we have Rishabh Pant in the middle, who has the ability to change the match from any point, so I don’t think there is any concern in the bowling department, and I hope that they dominate,” he concluded.

India will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match on Saturday at the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the USA, which is scheduled to host eight matches of the marquee tournament, including three games of India. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, penciled for June 9, will also be hosted at this venue.