Battle of batting powerhouses as England meet West Indies in St Lucia – Sports News Portal | Latest sporting goods

The 2016 T20 World Cup final between England and West Indies was a spectacle to watch. Carlos Brathwaite was the hero as he hit four sixes off the bowling of Ben Stokes to win the match for the Men in Maroon. Fast forward to 2024, and although Brathwaite and Stokes will no longer be part of their respective teams, there will be no shortage of excitement when the two long-standing rivals meet at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia to start a new chapter to write in this rivalry.

Last year, England and West Indies faced off in a five-match T20I series in the Caribbean. So there will be familiarity in terms of personnel. That series was an exciting match, with the home team narrowly beating England 3-2.

“When we play against the English boys so much, we actually play against them every year, so they know a lot about us, we know a lot about them,” Rovman Powell said ahead of the England match. “It’s just that when you play the game on the day, whoever comes out on top has to stay on top for as long as possible.”

Both teams are eyeing their third T20 World Cup title. The hosts enter the Super 8 stage full of confidence after going unbeaten in the group stages. The Caribbean side has showcased a brand of cricket that combines power, flair and precision, making them a formidable opponent.

For England the journey was far from smooth. Their batting lineup, mostly their strength, was inconsistent. Big names like Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt are yet to find their rhythm, resulting in subpar totals that put pressure on their bowlers. The team needs these key players to step up and deliver results if they want to challenge the in-form West Indies.

The bowling attack, led by Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid, showed flashes of brilliance but lacks the consistency required at this stage of the tournament.

“Go hard or go home” has been the West Indies’ mantra throughout the tournament and their relentless approach could spell trouble for England’s bowlers. This strategy has paid off so far, with Nicholas Pooran leading in brilliant form with aggressive stroke play. His memorable innings, including a record 36 runs from an over, has marked him as a player to watch. It will be interesting to see how England’s bowlers plan to contain him, especially given his prowess in both pace and spin. The conditions in St Lucia are expected to suit his playing style perfectly.

To counter West Indies’ aggressive batting, England could consider releasing Reece Topley with the new ball. The tall left-armer, who can swing the ball both ways, could emulate Trent Boult’s success a few days ago by causing serious problems for the West Indies batters. Besides Topley, West Indies will have to be careful with the in-form Archer and Rashid.

While the West Indies batters thrived in the World Cup, England’s batters struggled to find their rhythm. However, the pitch in St. Lucia offers them the opportunity to go after the hosts’ bowlers. The left-handed spin duo of Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie will be crucial for the West Indies against England’s predominantly right-handed batting line-up.

Despite the pitch favoring the batters, the extra bounce provides an advantage to the fast players, making the role of medium-pace Obed McCoy on the left arm important. West Indies will rely on their home advantage and momentum, but they must be wary of the defending champions, who cannot be underestimated.

Match details

June 20, St. Lucia, 6am IST

Probable XIs

India: Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj/Kuldeep Yadav

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (C), Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad