India fights SA today to book Semi final ticket
Colombo: India will play to south Africa in their final Super Eight match on Tuesday for a place in the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20 in Colombo.
South Africa have lost both their matches in contrasting manners — a close defeat against Pakistan and a comprehensive one against Australia.
AB de Villiers and Co. will now want to end the tournament on a respectable note and think of an outside chance of qualifying although their net run-rate might prove to be a deterrent.
The Indian team will not only have to deal with a South African team that is keen to maintain its reputation as a world class outfit but also have to counter the threat of
a man who knows about them like the back of his hand.
Gary Kirsten, inarguably India’s most successful cricket coach, is now in the opposition ranks and will play a key role in trying to plot the downfall of the ‘Men in Blue’.
Spin will again play a key role in the match and it will be interesting to see whether Dhoni would go for a second spinner in Harbhajan Singh by dropping senior pro Zaheer Khan.
With the seven-batsman policy paying results and a theory that Dhoni believes in, it remains to be seen whether he would rejig his bowling resources or stick to the winning formula.
The South African batsmen looked distinctly uncomfortable against the off-spin of Mohammed Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal in the match against Pakistan.
Even left-arm slow orthodox bowler Xavier Doherty troubled the Proteas in the last match which will certainly encourage Yuvraj Singh, who has turned into a utility ‘bowling all-rounder’ in this edition of the World T20.
The big question will be whether the Indian skipper will bring in Harbhajan who can be effective considering the South African line-up features two left-handers in Jean-Paul Duminy and Robin Peterson.
An interesting battle will would be on display when the Indians tackle the fiery pace of Dale Steyn and the disconcerting bounce that Morne Morkel will generate.
In all a mouth-watering clash is on the cards on the final day of the Super Eights.
