“It Looks Better…”: Suryakumar on Barbados Wicket Ahead of T20 WC Clash Against Afghanistan

Ahead of India’s ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights match against Afghanistan in Barbados, Suryakumar Yadav discussed the favourable conditions compared to their previous matches in New York’s Nassau County Stadium and outlined India’s strategy if openers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fall early.

India completed the group stage with three victories against Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA in Group A, with their final game against Canada being washed out. Meanwhile, Afghanistan finished second in Group C with three wins and one loss to West Indies.

In a pre-match press conference, Suryakumar expressed satisfaction with the conditions in Barbados, mentioning the rain-covered outfield but noting that the pitch looks better than in New York. Reflecting on his slower half-century against the USA, he attributed it to the challenging conditions post-powerplay, emphasizing the strategy to rotate strike and find gaps.

Discussing India’s approach against Afghanistan, Suryakumar emphasized the team’s preparation while focusing more on their own strengths rather than solely on the opposition. He underlined that the intent remains positive even if Kohli and Rohit depart early, with the responsibility to adapt and make decisions resting on the batsmen on the field.

India’s squad for the match includes Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohd. Siraj, with reserves Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan.

Afghanistan’s lineup features Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Fareed Ahmad Malik, with reserves Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, and Saleem Safi.