Match Details
The match is set to take place on Sunday, 29th October, at the BRSABVE Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Match Overview
India and England’s journeys in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 couldn’t be more different. India, the hosts, are on a winning streak with five victories, while England is barely avoiding the bottom of the table, their title defense hanging by a thread.
India’s performance has been formidable, sweeping aside all opponents so far. However, they remain cautious of the defending champions, who are now backed into a corner.
India’s balanced attack has been instrumental in their success, having dismissed 46 out of 50 batters, including full dismissals against Australia, Pakistan, and New Zealand. This will undoubtedly worry England, who have struggled to score more than 200 in their recent matches.
Even if England manages to pull off a win against India, their path to the knockout stages remains convoluted. A fourth consecutive loss would make their situation nearly impossible, making this match a do-or-die situation for the titleholders.
Team Lineups
India:
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
England:
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
Players to Watch
India – Mohammed Shami
Shami, the Indian pacer, had to wait for his chance as India started their campaign with four straight wins. However, when he got his chance, he made it count with a stunning 5/54 against New Zealand. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award and cemented his place in the Indian attack against England. With 36 wickets at an average of 15.02 in 12 World Cup matches, Shami is a significant threat to England.
England – Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes, England’s red-ball captain, was the star of their 2019 Cricket World Cup and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victories. Despite showing signs of a comeback against Sri Lanka, Stokes couldn’t turn the game around. The 32-year-old, who has been dealing with a hip issue, is ruled out from bowling at the tournament. With England’s chances of reaching the knockout stages dwindling, the match against India could be the perfect opportunity for another Stokes special.