India set to face Canada before super-eights

Team India is all set to play its last group-stage fixture against Canada before they march on to the super-eights round where some of the most in-form teams in this tournament await them. This will be Canada’s toughest test of the 2024 T20 World Cup as they come up against one of the deadliest bowling attacks in this tournament. All this would happen only if the weather allows as there are 85% chance of showers on Saturday.

If the game does go ahead, this will be a good opportunity for India to give some game time to the players on the bench as captain Rohit Sharma has fielded the same playing XI for all three games so far and the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Sanju Samson could be included

India’s final group stage fixture will also be the last opportunity for Viray Kohli to find some runs before the crucial super-eights matches. Kohli has been opening with captain Rohit Sharma in this tournament but has had a failed start to his campaign. With scores of 4,1, and 0, Kohli is having a tournament to forget with his bat which would surely concern the Indian team as going into the business end of the tournament, he has been their one batter to pull them out of trouble.

Canada have had a decent tournament, although they have just earned two points and are knocked out, they have put up decent fights in all the three games so far. They were able to put up a big total on the board against USA in the opening fixture of the World Cup, however, Aaron Jones for the USA spoiled their party with the bat. They defeated Ireland in their second game before losing to Pakistan after giving them a little scare. 

The Canadian side is relying a lot on their star batter Aaron Johnson who is already their second-highest run-scorer debuting in November 2022. Johnson has scored four fifties and one century in his first seven T20I innings and has 400 runs in 12 innings since 2023.

Canada in their previous game against Pakistan brought in Rainderpal Singh who replaced Dilpreet Bajwa. However, this move did not work as Ravinderpal got out for a second-ball duck. Captain Saad Bin Zafar could be bringing back Bajwa in the playing XI.

With the super-eights spot confirmed, India would be looking at this fixture as the perfect chance to try out the bench strength. Rohit Sharma would like to give Kuldeep Yadav a go as a left-arm wrist spinner could come in handy later on in the tournament. There are concerns around the form of batters especially the openers, however, no change is expected in the opening pair of Rohit and Kohli.

Lauderhill has been seeing loads of rain over the last couple of weeks. Although Thursday was dry, but the match between Ireland and the USA was a washout. The forecast does not seem promising for Saturday either as thunderstorms are predicted throughout the day.