The MCA Pavilion is bang opposite the press box at Wankhede Stadium. Just adjacent to it was where the ball landed off MS Dhoni’s blade. The storied venue was the theatre of India’s World Cup triumph in 2011. Five years later, it was the soapbox of India’s heartbreak — the hosts ending their march at the 2016 T20 World Cup after losing to the West Indies in the semifinal. The date was March 31.
Another World Cup, of the 20-over variety, starts in two days. The stage is set. The ground staff were vigorously putting the finishing touches and the centre pitch looked like a beauty.
The Indian team of the current vintage has been making the pitch factor, also the spin of the coin, redundant. It has got a lot to do with the team atmosphere that allows every player to seamlessly fit into a specific role. Ishan Kishan is a case in point. Just about two months ago, he wasn’t even in World Cup conversation. The Jharkhand boy came in as a back-up opener at Shubman Gill’s expense, got his opportunity at No. 3 because Tilak Varma was injured and then it was veni, vidi, vici.
Ishan is now the first-choice opener, along with Abhishek Sharma, going into the showpiece. Tilak, too, has returned to the fold after recovering from an abdominal surgery and looked to be in the top fettle during his 45 off 19 balls in the warm-up game against South Africa on Wednesday.
Washington Sundar’s fitness — he is nursing a rib injury — remains the only concern, but the Indian team has time on its side in terms of taking a decision. Suryakumar Yadav said as much at the captains’ meet in Mumbai on Thursday. “He (Washington) is doing really well,” said the skipper. “He is almost there. So we want him to be fully fit when he comes back. You have to be patient with him.”
India’s three group league matches are against the United States, Namibia and the Netherlands. The other one, on February 15, has slipped into a no-show because of Pakistan’s incoherent political posturing. Surya confirmed that India will travel to Sri Lanka as per schedule. As things stand, they are assured of two points from that game by virtue of a walkover.
“Our mindset is pretty clear,” Surya said at the media interaction. “We have not said no (to playing against Pakistan). They have. The ICC has given the fixture. Our flight is booked for Colombo and we are going there.”
A few attempts to draw the other captains into the controversy proved to be futile. “We just stay in our lane and it’s up to the ICC and the others who have agreements and disagreements. We are just here to enjoy and play as well as we can,” said England’s Harry Brook.
West Indies skipper Shai Hope dittoed. “As long as you are focusing on the controllables and your preps, the focus is on within and can’t really control what is not in our hands.”
As for Pakistan and the ICC, the PCB’s attempts to convince other member boards have cut no ice, for the boycott fails on its own terms.
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