India being the hosts and defending champions of T20 World Cup have a lot to play in their last Super 8 match. Winning or losing the match determines if India progresses to the semi finals or exits from the Super 8 stage.
India finished the group stages with unbeaten record, building strong belief along the way. However, one heavy loss at the Super 8 stage has quickly put their title defense in jeopardy.
India will be playing against West Indies in a virtual knockout match at Eden Gardens today, with the winner of the match qualifying for the semi finals.
Why the loss to South Africa was crucial?
India had a disastrous start to the Super 8 round when they lost the opening match by 76 runs. This defeat deeply impacted their net run rate or NRR. With this, South Africa ended India's 12-match winning streak in T20’s, and made the road to the semi-finals difficult for India.
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How did India come back strongly?
India faced a must-win game next against Zimbabwe, and they responded with great power and skill. They beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai to get back on the winning track. India scored a massive 256/4 in their 20 overs, setting a major event record, which is the second-highest team score in the whole history of the T20 World Cup.
Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma led the charge for India during the batting. This win secured two key points for the team to stay in the race. It also helped fix the early damage to their NRR from the South Africa loss.
What are the chances of India reaching the Semi-finals?
The math for India is very simple heading into the West Indies match. A win over the West Indies puts them straight into the semifinals, but a loss means they get eliminated. A canceled match gives both teams one point, so they would finish with three points total. However, the West Indies would advance to the semi-finals in this case because of their better NRR.
The good news for Indian fans is that the weather forecast for Kolkata predicts a sunny day with zero chance of rain or thunderstorms.
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India vs West Indies: Head-to-Head
India enters this final playoff game with a better overall winning record. India has won 19 of 30 past matches. The West Indies have won 10 times, and only one game has ended in a tie.
However, the West Indies have been a very strong force during this current event. They started the Super 8 stage with a huge win over Zimbabwe, and they remain a very dangerous team on any given day. A loss to South Africa hurt their NRR, but they still have a clear path. A win for either team (India or West Indies) in Kolkata sends them through to the next round.
India's final game against the West Indies is now a true playoff for the fans. The match at Eden Gardens will decide if the champions keep fighting for another title or bow out of the Super 8. The stage is set, and the results are well known: a win sends India to the semi-finals; a loss sends them back home.
The Super 8 match starts at 7:00 PM IST in Kolkata. Fans can expect this to be a cracker of a match.
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