Please register to access this content.
To continue viewing the content you love, please sign in or create a new account
Dismiss
This content is for our paying subscribers only

Cricket ICC

Masterstroke with Mr Cricket UAE

India should not have overhauled Afghanistan’s Net Run Rate, let me explain why...

Afghan’s may now push self destruct button and play into hands of the Kiwis and cost India



India's KL Rahul plays shot during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between India and Scotland at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.
Image Credit: AFP

Dubai: India should have left a carrot dangling in front of Afghanistan by not overhauling their net run rate.

India played the perfect game against Scotland, won the all important toss and bowled them out for the score they wanted to which was 85. In order to go ahead of Afghanistan’s net run rate, India had to win within 7.1 overs and India achieved the target in 6.3 overs which was great but have they done the right thing?

Some people might wonder what am I saying after such an emphatic victory. The point I am coming to is that Afghanistan now know that India is ahead in the net run rate and will have to bat very big against the Kiwis as just a win won’t do good as India’s last game is against minnows Namibia and India will probably have an easy win.

So in going for a big win, Afghanistan might push the self destruct button which might play in to the hands of the smart Kiwis led by Kane Williamson.

The advantage Afghanistan have is that they have been in Abu Dhabi for the last one week and know the conditions better and if Mujeeb Ur Rahman is fit he might cause problems to the Kiwi batsman along with Rashid Khan.

Advertisement

Come Sunday 1.3 billion Indian fans along with 40 million Afghanistan fans will pray that Afghanistan win and India gets a lifeline or else it would be curtains for team India.

Can’t wait for Sunday.

Anis Sajan
- Cricket enthusiast Anis Sajan is the Vice-Chairman of Danube Group
Advertisement