Rohit Sharma is set to captain India in their pursuit of long-awaited glory, as the BCCI unveils the squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.Before the announcement, speculation abounded regarding the wicketkeeper selection, with several candidates competing for the position. Ultimately, India has placed their trust in Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson as the wicketkeepers.This signifies Pant's comeback to international cricket after a near-fatal accident in December 2022, which sidelined him for over a year.Shivam Dube's consistent IPL performance ensured his retention in the squad after his recent appearances in the T20I series against Afghanistan. The 30-year-old, in exceptional form for the Chennai Super Kings, has amassed 350 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 172.41.India has opted for a spin-heavy bowling lineup featuring Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, while the pace attack will be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, supported by Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and vice-captain Hardik Pandya.In the batting department, the selection of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav for the top order alongside captain Rohit Sharma was as expected.Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh have been named among the reserves along with pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.Notably absent from India's squad is KL Rahul, who featured in the last two T20 World Cup campaigns (2021 and 2022).India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. SirajReserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh KhanIndia are placed in Group A of the tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA. Their campaign begins on 5 June against Ireland at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York before they take on Pakistan in one of the most awaited matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup.Also Read: Paris 2024 Olympics - Latest News, Schedules & Results
Hearing and visually-impaired cricket fans can look forward to an Indian Sign Language (ISL) and audio descriptive feed during next month's T20 World Cup in the Americas with official broadcasters Disney Hotstar and Star Sports Network announcing special telecast arrangements. This will be applicable for 10 matches including all the India games, semi-finals and finals. The broadcaster said that this is the first time that the T20 World Cup will be telecast with sign language and descriptive commentary making "cricket more immersive for its deaf, hard-of-hearing and visually-impaired users."Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur, welcomed the move."The Government of India is committed to creating an inclusive society and I strongly believe that this initiative will enhance the viewing experience for millions of differently-abled sports enthusiasts," he said in a press release.With this, Disney Hotstar also becomes the first OTT platform to make ISL available for live cricket.Sajith Sivanandan, Head, Disney Hotstar India, said, "This underscores our commitment to promote inclusivity and serve all users. With these enhancements, we aim to ensure that the excitement of cricket knows no bounds." Sanjog Gupta, Head of Disney Star (Sports), said the innovation has got good response in the ongoing IPL."Our mission of serving sports fans is powered by such pioneering initiatives which seek to remove barriers of access and engagement for fans from all walks of life. The initiative also serves to present a more inclusive picture of India's favourite sport and is of immense pride for the sporting fraternity," he said.The ISL feed will provide a ball-by-ball update through the presence of a translator on the live stream. The audio descriptive feed will be complemented by voice-over technology for specific pages, which can render text and images into a speech output.Alok Kejriwal, Founder and CEO, India Signing Hands, a non-profit organisation that advocates for equal opportunities for the deaf, described it as an excellent move."I am confident that it will open doors to the exciting world of cricket to many more people from the Deaf and Visually Impaired communities," he said.According to the World Health Organization, there is an estimated 6.3 crore community of deaf and four crore visually impaired individuals in India.Also Read: BCCI sounds out CSK head coach Stephen Fleming to succeed Rahul Dravid
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match fixtures have been announced, scheduled from Monday, 27 May to Saturday, 1 June across the USA and Trinidad and Tobago.The venues hosting the 16 warm-up matches ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 include Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Texas, Broward County Stadium in Florida, Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.A total of 17 teams play the warm-up games, including South Africa, who are playing an intra-squad on the 29th in Florida.These warm-up fixtures will be 20 overs per side and will not have international T20 status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squad.In a departure from the previous cycle, teams can now choose to play up to two warm-up matches, depending on their arrival time at the event.The match between the West Indies and Australia at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, May 30 will be open to fans. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.t20worldcup.com or at box offices located at the National Cricket Centre and Queen’s Park Oval from May 16 onwards.ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Warm-up FixturesMonday 27 MayCanada v Nepal, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Oman v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 15h00Namibia v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Tuesday 28 MaySri Lanka v Netherlands, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Bangladesh v USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Australia v Namibia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Wednesday 29 MaySouth Africa intra-squad, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Afghanistan v Oman, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 13h00Thursday 30 MayNepal v USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Scotland v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 10h30Netherlands v Canada, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 15h00Namibia v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 15h00West Indies v Australia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Friday 31 MayIreland v Sri Lanka, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Scotland v Afghanistan, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 10h30Saturday 1 JuneBangladesh v India, Venue TBC USAAlso Read: T20 World Cup Broadcasters Announce Special Feed For Hearing And Visually Impaired Fans
The ninth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the USA and West Indies, with all key details being highlighted.Format:The ninth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup will feature a record-breaking 20 teams. The tournament will be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies from June 1 to 29.In the first stage, the 20 teams are divided into four groups of five, with each team playing a minimum of four matches against their group members.The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8s stage, while the bottom three teams from each group will be eliminated.The eight advancing teams will then be split into two groups for the Super 8s phase. Each team will play three matches against their new group rivals to determine the semi-finalists.The semi-finals will feature the top two teams from each Super 8s group, and the winners will move on to the final in Barbados on June 29.Venues:Three venues in the USA and six in the Caribbean will host the tournament, including 16 contests in Lauderhill, Dallas, and New York, as well as the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match in the new Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island on 9 June.41 games are scheduled to take place in the Caribbean, spanning six islands, featuring semi-finals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, and concluding with the title match in Barbados on June 29th.Groups:Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Ireland, CanadaGroup B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, OmanGroup C: West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New GuineaGroup D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Squads:Most teams have announced initial squads for the T20 World Cup, with the option to modify their 15-player squads as much as they wish until 25 May.Approval from the ICC's Event Technical Committee will be needed for any changes made after that date.Fixtures:Sat, 1 June 2024 - USA v CANADA, Dallas, 07:30 PM LOCALSun, 2 June 2024 - WEST INDIES v PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Guyana, 10:30 AM LOCALSun, 2 June 2024 - NAMIBIA v OMAN, Barbados, 08:30 PM LOCALMon, 3 June 2024 - SL v SOUTH AFRICA, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALMon, 3 June 2024 - AFGHANISTAN v UGANDA, Guyana, 08:30 PM LOCALTue, 4 June 2024 - ENGLAND v SCOTLAND, Barbados, 10:30 AM LOCALTue, 4 June 2024 - NETHERLANDS v NEPAL, Dallas, 10:30 AM LOCALWed, 5 June 2024 - INDIA v IRELAND, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALWed, 5 June 2024 - PAPUA NEW GUINEA v UGANDA, Guyana, 07:30 PM LOCALWed, 5 June 2024 - AUSTRALIA v OMAN, Barbados, 08:30 PM LOCALThur, 6 June 2024 - USA v PAKISTAN, Dallas, 10:30 AM LOCALThur, 6 June 2024 - NAMIBIA v SCOTLAND, Barbados, 03:00 PM LOCALFri, 7 June 2024 - CANADA v IRELAND, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALFri, 7 June 2024 - NEW ZEALAND v AFGHANISTAN, Guyana, 07:30 PM LOCALFri, 7 June 2024 - SRI LANKA v BANGLADESH, Dallas, 07:30 PM LOCALSat, 8 June 2024 - NETHERLANDS v SOUTH AFRICA, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALSat, 8 June 2024 - AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND, Barbados, 01:00 PM LOCALSat, 8 June 2024 - WEST INDIES v UGANDA, Guyana, 08:30 PM LOCALSun, 9 June 2024 - INDIA v PAKISTAN, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALSun, 9 June 2024 - OMAN v SCOTLAND, Antigua, 01:00 PM LOCALMon, 10 June 2024 - SOUTH AFRICA v BANGLADESH, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALTue, 11 June 2024 - PAKISTAN v CANADA, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALTue, 11 June 2024 - SRI LANKA v NEPAL, Florida, 07:30 PM LOCALTue, 11 June 2024 - AUSTRALIA v NAMIBIA, Antigua, 08:30 PM LOCALWed, 12 June 2024 - USA v INDIA, New York, 09:30 AM LOCALWed, 12 June 2024 - WEST INDIES v NEW ZEALAND, Trinidad, 08:30 PM LOCALThur, 13 June 2024 - ENGLAND v OMAN, Antigua, 03:00 PM LOCALThur, 13 June 2024 - BANGLADESH v NETHERLANDS, St. Vincent, 10:30 AM LOCALThur, 13 June 2024 - AFGHANISTAN v PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Trinidad, 08:30 PM LOCALFri, 14 June 2024 - USA v IRELAND, Florida, 10:30 AM LOCALFri, 14 June 2024 - SOUTH AFRICA v NEPAL, St. Vincent, 07:30 PM LOCALFri, 14 June 2024 - NEW ZEALAND v UGANDA, Trinidad, 08:30 PM LOCALSat, 15 June 2024 - INDIA v CANADA, Florida, 10:30 AM LOCALSat, 15 June 2024 - NAMIBIA v ENGLAND, Antigua, 01:00 PM LOCALSat, 15 June 2024 - AUSTRALIA v SCOTLAND, St. Lucia, 08:30 PM LOCALSun, 16 June 2024 - PAKISTAN v IRELAND, Florida, 10:30 AM LOCALSun, 16 June 2024 - BANGLADESH v NEPAL, St. Vincent, 07:30 PM LOCALSun, 16 June 2024 - SRI LANKA v NETHERLANDS, St. Lucia, 08:30 PM LOCALMon, 17 June 2024 - NEW ZEALAND v PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Trinidad, 10:30 AM LOCALMon, 17 June 2024 - WEST INDIES v AFGHANISTAN, St. Lucia, 08:30 PM LOCALWed, 19 June 2024 - A2 v D1, Antigua, 10:30 AM LOCALWed, 19 June 2024 - B1 v C2, St. Lucia, 08:30 PM LOCALThur, 20 June 2024 - C1 v A1, Barbados, 10:30 AM LOCALThur, 20 June 2024 - B2 v D2, Antigua, 08:30 PM LOCALFri, 21 June 2024 - B1 v D1, St. Lucia, 10:30 AM LOCALFri, 21 June 2024 - A2 v C2, Barbados, 08:30 PM LOCALSat, 22 June 2024 - A1 v D2, Antigua, 10:30 AM LOCALSat, 22 June 2024 - C1 v B2, St. Vincent, 08:30 PM LOCALSun, 23 June 2024 - A2 v B1, Barbados, 10:30 AM LOCALSun, 23 June 2024 - C2 v D1, Antigua, 08:30 PM LOCALMon, 24 June 2024 - B2 v A1, St. Lucia, 10:30 AM LOCALMon, 24 June 2024 - C1 v D2, St. Vincent, 08:30 PM LOCALWed, 26 June 2024 - Semi 1, Trinidad and Tobago (reserve day 27 June), 10:30 AM LOCALThur, 27 June 2024 - Semi 2, Guyana, 08:30 PM LOCALSat, 29 June 2024 - Final, Barbados, 10:00 AM LOCALSpecific conditions for T20 World CupIf a game ends in a draw, a Super Over will be held, and if the Super Over also ends in a draw, additional Super Overs will be played until a winner is determined.Extra time is also provided to guarantee that all knockout matches are finished during the semi-final and final rounds of the competition.A combined total of 250 minutes of extra time is allocated for the two semi-finals, with the first semi-final set to have 60 minutes at the end of play on June 26 and an additional 190 minutes on June 27.On June 27, the second semi-final has an extra 250 minutes allocated for the scheduled day, and the final on June 29 has a backup day scheduled for June 30.Prizemoney:The prizemoney for the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup is still yet to be finalised.Warm-up fixtures:A total of 17 teams will participate in warm-up fixtures between May 27 and June 1, with South Africa scheduled to play an intra-club match between their own squad in Florida on May 29.These warm-up fixtures will be 20 overs per side and will not have T20I status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squad.Monday 27 MayCanada v Nepal, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Oman v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 15h00Namibia v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Tuesday 28 MaySri Lanka v Netherlands, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Bangladesh v USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Australia v Namibia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Wednesday 29 MaySouth Africa intra-squad, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Afghanistan v Oman, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 13h00Thursday 30 MayNepal v USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 10h30Scotland v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 10h30Netherlands v Canada, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas 15h00Namibia v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago 15h00West Indies v Australia, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 19h00Friday 31 MayIreland v Sri Lanka, Broward County Stadium, Broward County, Florida 10h30Scotland v Afghanistan, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago 10h30Saturday 1 JuneBangladesh v India, Venue TBC USAAlso Read: Warm-up fixtures announced for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
Pakistan cricket team wicket-keeper batter Azam Khan was brutally roasted by fans after his disappointing show against England in the fourth T20I encounter.Pakistan cricket team wicket-keeper batter Azam Khan was brutally roasted by fans after his disappointing show against England in the fourth T20I encounter on Thursday. The 25-year-old was dismissed for a duck after facing just 5 deliveries and he even dropped couple of easy chances while fielding. Azam has been struggling to perform well in the past few matches and his poor run ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 has resulted in a lot of outrage from the fans. Azam is the son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan and his selection for the World Cup was also heavily discussed by the supporters.Reigning champions England produced a fine all-round display as they beat Pakistan by seven wickets at The Oval on Thursday in their last competitive match before they begin the defence of their Twenty20 World Cup title.England restricted Pakistan to a modest 157 after winning the toss, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid, the player-of-the-match taking 2-27 from his maximum four overs.They then made a rapid start to their chase as Phil Salt (45) and skipper Jos Buttler (39) shared a blistering opening stand of 82 inside seven overs.Harry Brook ended the game with a six off paceman Haris Rauf, the pick of the Pakistan attack with 3-38, as England finished on 158-6 to win with more than three overs to spare.Victory gave England a 2-0 triumph in a four-match T20 series where games at Headingley and Cardiff were both washed out without a ball bowled."We have worked hard in training and there is a good feeling around the squad," Buttler told Sky Sports.Also Read: Everything you need to know about the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA has already provided high-quality action, memorable upsets, and standout performances.As the tournament progresses, here's a look at what each team needs to do to advance to the Super Eight stage.Group A Teams: India, United States, Canada, Pakistan, Ireland1. India (4 points | 1.455 NRR): With two wins and a strong net run rate, India is in a favorable position. A victory against either the USA or Canada will likely secure their progression.2. United States (4 points | 0.626 NRR): The USA has had a perfect start. Winning either of their remaining matches against India or Ireland should be enough to advance.3. Canada (2 points | -0.274 NRR): Canada needs to win their upcoming matches against Pakistan and India to stay in contention. Beating Pakistan is crucial.4. Pakistan (0 points | -0.150 NRR): Pakistan must win both of their remaining games against Canada and Ireland and improve their net run rate. They also need either India or the USA to lose their matches.5. Ireland (0 points | -1.712 NRR): Ireland needs to win against the USA and Pakistan and hope other results favor them, which is a tough ask given their current position.Group B Teams: Scotland, Australia, Namibia, England, Oman1. Scotland (5 points | 2.164 NRR): A win against Australia will confirm their progression. They might already have enough points to advance, depending on other results.2. Australia (4 points | 1.875 NRR): Another win, particularly against Scotland, will likely secure their spot in the next round.3. Namibia (2 points | -0.309 NRR): Namibia needs to win their remaining matches against Australia and England, which will be challenging.4. England (1 point | -1.800 NRR): England must win their remaining games against Oman and Namibia and hope for favorable outcomes in other matches, particularly the Australia-Scotland game.5. Oman (0 points | -1.613 NRR): Eliminated - Oman cannot progress but have shown competitive spirit.Group C Teams: Afghanistan, West Indies, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand1. Afghanistan (4 points | 5.225 NRR): One more win against either Papua New Guinea or West Indies will secure their spot.2. West Indies (4 points | 3.574 NRR): A win against either New Zealand or Afghanistan is needed for progression.3. Uganda (2 points | -4.217 NRR): Uganda needs a big win against New Zealand and other results to go in their favor.4. Papua New Guinea (0 points | -0.434 NRR): PNG is unlikely to advance but will aim to gain experience and potentially cause an upset.5. New Zealand (0 points | -4.200 NRR): New Zealand needs to win all their remaining matches against West Indies, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea.Group D Teams: South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal, Sri Lanka1. South Africa (6 points | 0.603 NRR): Already in a strong position, South Africa is close to securing their spot in the Super Eight.2. Bangladesh (2 points | 0.075 NRR): Beating the Netherlands is crucial. Winning against Nepal could also secure their progression.3. Netherlands (2 points | 0.024 NRR): The Dutch need wins against Bangladesh and Nepal to advance.4. Nepal (0 points | -0.539 NRR): Nepal must win all their remaining matches to have a chance, which is challenging given their current form.5. Sri Lanka (0 points | -0.777 NRR): Sri Lanka needs big wins against Nepal and the Netherlands and must rely on other results to favor them.Also Read: T20 World Cup Broadcasters Announce Special Feed For Hearing And Visually Impaired Fans
Shubman Gill will be sent home after the US matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, according to Cricbuzz. A reserve pacer, likely Avesh Khan, might also return home after the June 15 game against Canada in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the publication added. These two have been travelling as reserve players with the Indian team.Shubman Gill, who typically plays as an opening batter, and pacer Avesh Khan may need to stay back if a regular player gets injured during cricket practice on June 14 or the game the next day.However, this is unlikely because bad weather in Florida could disrupt the World Cup schedule. Also, Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the squad along with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the third opener. Rohit and Virat opened for India in the first three games.The team will likely rely more on spinners in the Caribbean, so an extra pacer might not be needed. It also means that India’s premium spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, is likely to be included in the team.Both Shubman and Avesh were in Florida as of June 13, as they flew with the team from New York to Fort Lauderdale on a chartered flight on June 12, the publication added. After their game at Nassau County International Stadium in Long Island, the charter was arranged for both the India and USA teams.The travels for both the players were planned for the US leg only, unless there were unexpected player injuries, Cricbuzz reported. They went as travelling reserves because it would be hard for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send replacements quickly from India to the US or the Caribbean if a player got injured.Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed to stay backMiddle-order batter Rinku Singh and pacer Khaleel Ahmed, who have also been in the team as reserves, will stay with the squad and travel to Bridgetown, Barbados, for India's first Super 8 game on June 20 against Afghanistan, according to the publication.India’s next two games are in Antigua on June 22 (opposition yet to be decided) and St. Lucia on June 24 (against Australia).Also Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Super Eight qualification scenarios for all the teams
Afghanistan has achieved unprecedented success in cricket, securing a spot in the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. This milestone marks a remarkable journey for a team that only attained full ICC membership in 2017. Often labeled as underdogs in major tournaments, Afghanistan impressed with standout performances against teams like New Zealand and Australia to reach this stage.While credit primarily goes to the players for their exceptional performance under pressure, India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have played a crucial, albeit hidden, role in Afghanistan's ascent. Here's how India and BCCI contributed to Afghanistan's rise in world cricket:Providing a Home Ground: The Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida became Afghanistan's temporary home ground in 2015, thanks to the BCCI. This shift from Sharjah allowed Afghanistan to host international matches against Ireland in Greater Noida by 2017. Additionally, Afghanistan "hosted" a Twenty20 series against Bangladesh in Dehradun, further cementing their ties with India.Guidance from Indian Coaches: The BCCI facilitated Afghan cricket by providing top-notch facilities and coaching expertise. Former Indian players like Lalchand Rajput, Manoj Prabhakar, and Ajay Jadeja have coached the Afghanistan team, with Jadeja serving as mentor up to the ODI World Cup in 2023.Influence of the IPL: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has significantly bolstered the careers of Afghan players. Many Afghan cricketers participating in the IPL not only enhance their skills but also serve as inspirations back home. This exposure and financial support have been instrumental in their development and success.The strong collaboration between Afghanistan and India, facilitated by the BCCI, underscores the strategic support that has propelled Afghanistan to achieve remarkable feats in international cricket.Also Read: Not Gautam Gambhir, This India Legend To Be Team's Coach In Next Series: Report
Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He has scored only 75 runs across 7 innings in this edition of the mega event.Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. He has scored only 75 runs across 7 innings in this edition of the mega event. Kohli's poor form has also seen him registering two ducks. Thursday's semi-final against England was no exception for Kohli as he failed with a run-a-ball 9, losing his wicket to Reece Topley in the third over of India's innings. After the match, captain Rohit Sharma, however, continued to back the star batter, saying that form is not a matter of concern for him."He (Kohli) is a quality player. Any player can go through that. We understand his class and his importance. Form is never a problem. The intent is there. Absolutely (backing Kohli for the final)," said Rohit after the game.Team India advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup after 10 years. The Rohit Sharma-led side registered a commanding 68-run win over England in the second semi-final match at Providence Stadium, Guyana on Thursday. The 2007 champions thus set up a summit clash with South Africa, who outplayed Afghanistan by 9 wickets in the first semi-final.In Guyana, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav played crucial knocks as India posted a total of 171 for 7 in 20 overs after being invited to bat. India were 40 for 2 in 5.2 overs before Rohit and Suryakumar stitched a solid 73-run stand to bail the side out of trouble. Rohit fell for 57 off 39 while Suryakumar hit 47 off 36.In the second innings, Axar Patel then dented England's chase with figures of 3 for 23 while Kuldeep Yadav also picked 3 for 19."We have been very calm as a team. We understand the occasion (final). Staying composed helps you make good decisions. That'll help us making the game through. You got to play good cricket. That's what we want to do in the final," said Rohit.Also Read: Behind Afghanistan's Rise In World Cricket, BCCI, India's 'Hidden Role'
