“Men in Blue” are unlikely to lose the match: Collingwood

"Honestly, I can't see India losing this time. England will need something extraordinary to beat them": Collingwood

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Former all-rounder Paul Collingwood believes that England would need to put on an incredible display to defeat an in-form India in the T20 World Cup semifinal. Collingwood also believes that the “Men in Blue” are unlikely to lose the rematch against the reigning champions.

On Thursday, India and England will play a rematch of their 2021 final four stage match in Adelaide, which Jos Buttler’s team won by a margin of 10 wickets.

“Honestly, I can’t see India losing this time. England will need something extraordinary to beat them,” Collingwood said on Star Sports Press Room.

Former champions Australia and Pakistan are just two of the sides that have struggled to score against Jasprit Bumrah because to his incredible form. According to Collingwood, the result of the game would be determined by the pacer’s four overs.

“India, with their well-rounded squad, stands out particularly for Jasprit Bumrah’s current form. He’s fit, accurate, fast, and highly skilled. No team seems to have an answer for him in a 120-ball game, having someone like Bumrah with his pace for 24 balls makes a huge difference. India has looked confident even in tough situations and on difficult pitches in America. Their batters, like Rohit Sharma who played a magnificent innings against Australia, seem to be back in form,” he added.

In the past, the Guyana pitch has favored bowlers by getting slower as the game continues.

At this location, spinners have done well, and early on, pacers get some assistance, yet teams have scored 170-180 in the current World Cup.
“The match-up will be magnificent, with both sides adopting an ultra-aggressive approach. The surface in Guyana will be crucial. On a flat pitch, England has the upper hand with their ability to overpower teams. However, a slow, turning pitch would favour India.”

According to Collingwood, India has evolved past the conservative mindset that contributed to its elimination in the 2021 competition.

“The previous plan was to attack India aggressively from the start. However, a team like India can’t be surprised by that tactic. In 2022, when India batted first, we knew we could restrict them. Back then, India played conservatively, especially in the first 10 overs, and then tried to catch up later. But India’s approach has changed. They understand that this strategy won’t win World Cups. They need to take risks, be brave, and express themselves freely. This new mentality might be criticised if it fails, but to win World Cups, you need to be ahead of the curve and adapt to what other teams are doing globally.”

Although England was only 45 minutes away from being eliminated from the group stage, they have since established a compelling case for themselves.

“England has a knack for raising their game in knockouts. They somehow manage to play freely without any pressure. I remember the Adelaide match where India set the target. Now, England plays a more aggressive style, especially at the top order, when setting their own totals. This makes their upcoming match against India even more dangerous,” Collingwood said.

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