In this T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli was a bit off color having scored only 66 runs in six innings, but England head coach Matthew Mott is still wary of the threat that the Indian batting giant poses.
Matthew Mott recognizes Kohli’s penchant for raising his game during critical moments and expects that the veteran batsman will be on top form in the vital semifinal clash. The England coach emphasized that his team is ready to tackle the challenge presented by Kohli and India’s strong batting line-up. This second semi-final pits these two cricketing giants against each other as they seek to execute their strategies properly so as to eliminate India’s key players such as Virat and earn themselves one more step closer to winning their title.
“Verity [sic] has shown over a long period of time that he is an outstanding player and he is certainly one we have planned for. We know him; we know how devastating he can be; we also understand his cricket intelligence. If there are times when you need someone to bat it out differently, he has got it,” said Mott.
“So he’s definitely a key player for them and like we’ve said…what’s happened throughout this tournament means nothing tomorrow when we face off against each other – big players step up in the big moments. We’re hoping our players do that but you can expect him (Kohli) to do exactly the same,” he added.
The last time England met India in a semi final was in 2022. This took place at Adelaide Oval where English side dominated opposition with ease winning by ten wickets.
However, playing conditions here would differ quite substantially from those faced two years back. Mott identifies rapid adaptation to these unfamiliar surroundings as one of things that could determine which team wins this match.
“I don’t think anyone starts at an advantage or disadvantage in a semi-final. I think it’s who adapts (to the conditions) the quickest. Think you can come in with preconceived ideas, but our mantra has always been playing what’s in front of us,” said Mott.
“I’m here today, there isn’t any wind today but we know that there will be some wind. And probably the key advantage for us is having someone like Kieron Pollard who knows all about the islands and what we’ll face. He’s a good presence around our group and how he goes about it.”
