India, led by Rohit Sharma, is set to face New Zealand in their final league match of the Champions Trophy. The match will determine the opponent for the semi-finals, with India possibly preferring to face Australia due to their familiarity and the absence of key Australian bowlers. Sunil Gavaskar remarked on the formidable nature of both teams, emphasizing the make-or-break situation as the tournament advances.
The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, is preparing for an encounter against New Zealand, marking their final league stage match in the Champions Trophy. Both teams have already secured spots in the semi-finals, and they intend to utilize this game to assess their bench strength. Although this match holds little significance for standings, both India and New Zealand are eager to maintain their undefeated streaks heading into the knockout rounds.
The outcome of this match will determine the semi-final matchups, as the winner is set to face Australia, while the loser will meet South Africa. Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar provided insights regarding which opponent India might prefer in the semi-finals. He stated, “Both teams are formidable teams, make no mistake. There’s no such team that India will say…they know, they’ve come to the knockout stages. Here it’s now make or break, so I don’t think they would prefer to have any team.”
Gavaskar further elaborated that India might lean towards Australia as their opponent, as they have previous experience facing them. He noted that Australia currently lacks key bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, which might make them a more favorable choice for India. In contrast, South Africa leads the Group B standings after defeating England convincingly by seven wickets in their last match. Australia, having faced two washouts against South Africa and Afghanistan, finished second in the group with three points.
In summary, as India prepares for its final league match against New Zealand, the outcome will influence their semi-final opponent. Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar suggested that India may prefer to play against Australia, given their familiarity with the team and the absence of key Australian bowlers. This strategic discussion highlights the competitive landscape as the tournament progresses towards the knockout stages, with both India and New Zealand aiming to remain undefeated.
Original Source: www.livemint.com
