Anil Kumble highlights India’s chances in the semi-finals: West Indies performed strongly against Zimbabwe in the Super 8 match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. Shimron Hetmyer led the way for the Windies and the southpaw scored 85 runs in 34 balls with the help of seven fours and as many sixes. He was given two chances in the game as his catches were dropped by Zimbabwean fielders.
Leading his innings, he has been the leading run-scorer for the Windies in this edition of the T20 World Cup with 219 runs. West Indies scored a total of 254/6 in 20 overs, which was the team’s second highest score in the T20 World Cup.
‘West Indies understands what it takes to win at this stage of the tournament’- Anil Kumble
Speaking on Shimron Hetmyer’s innings and West Indies’ overall performance, former India captain Anil Kumble lauded the team’s solid all-round performance. Kumble also highlighted the incredible bowling performance of Gudakesh Moti as he took four wickets in the match.
Kumble was quoted on GeoHotstar as saying, “West Indies understand what it takes to win at this stage of the tournament. The left-arm spinners were excellent. Gudakesh Moti bowled brilliantly. In this format, finger spinners often try to stay away from the batsman’s hitting arc, but Moti and Hosein were different.”
Kumble highlighted the importance of Hetmyer’s innings, “Shimron Hetmyer has been a finisher for a long time and knows how to hit boundaries. He has the power and the flair. What is different is that he is not satisfied with quick cameos of 20 or 30. He turns them into big scores. If he had fallen on 30, perhaps West Indies would not have reached 254.”
Anil Kumble praised Rovman Powell
Anil Kumble also liked the controlled aggression of Rovman Powell, who scored 59 runs in 35 balls with the help of four sixes and as many fours. While Hetmyer was the anchor putting pressure on Zimbabwe’s bowlers, he later picked up the pace and scored at a strike rate of 168.57.
Anil Kumble also noted Rovman Powell’s deliberate approach, saying, “Powell is again a proven power-hitter. He took his time in the beginning, but once he settled, he was unstoppable. He hits the ball very hard.”
The former India captain, while speaking on the JioHotstar show, also discussed that India will have to make a strong comeback against Zimbabwe despite suffering a 76-run defeat against South Africa to stay in the race for the semi-finals. Kumble highlighted the importance of each match for Suryakumar Yadav’s team.
“Every game matters at this level. India suffered a crucial defeat to South Africa, and it was not just about the defeat, but the manner of that defeat. The key question now is whether they can come back strongly against Zimbabwe,” he said, considering the team’s need for a strong comeback.
‘India needs a sure victory’- Anil Kumble
To remain in the race for a semi-final spot, the Men in Blue need to win the game by a big margin, as the Windies did against Chevron on Monday. India’s national cricket team will take on Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.
Anil Kumble concluded, “India need to win convincingly, like the West Indies against Zimbabwe, to improve their net run rate. After that, they have to beat the West Indies as well. The primary focus should be on winning both the matches. If they control the game the net run rate will naturally improve.”
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