'This England side don't fear India': Hussain, Atherton's cold Adelaide reminder in daring T20WC semifinal prediction
Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton make their prediction on 2024 T20 World Cup semifinals
Team India is all set to keep their unbeaten record in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup intact as the Rohit Sharma-led side aims to emulate the 2007 heroics and end the side's long-standing ICC trophy drought. However, the Men in Blue, who took down the reigning 50-over world champions in the final Super Eight game on Monday, are set to take on defending champions England in their semifinal match on Thursday in Guyana. While India head into the contest as heavy favourites given their dominating run, former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton handed them a cold reminder of the 2022 Adelaide clash.
This isn't the first time India will be up against England in a T20 World Cup match. Overall, they have faced each other six times in the tournament's history, with India leading the rivalry 4-2. However, in the only semifinal meeting between the two, in the 2022 edition of the tournament, England had claimed a stellar 10-wicket win against India.
As Hussain and Atherton sat down to preview the two semifinal matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the former predicted a repeat of the 2022 Adelaide result despite England's topsy-turvy run to the penultimate round of the tournament. Hussain also backed South Africa to script a eighth-straight win in the ongoing event in their semifinal against Afghanistan, who stunned the Aussies in the Super Eight en route to their best-ever show in an ICC tournament.
“I'm going to go with South Africa and England. It is just that England will go in with the memory of that semifinal in Adelaide. As I said, this is a repeat. And I don't think this England side fear India, unless it is a very dry slow pitch. The only thing I will say about this England batting line-up, and I know Buttler and Salt just whacked the USA, when it is just holding a little bit, and the pitch is a bit slow, their batting looks vulnerable and that would play massively in India's hand. when it is just holding a little bit, and the pitch is a bit slow, their batting looks vulnerable,” he said.
When Nasser returned the question to Atherton, he predicted the same. He said: “Nasser thinks India are not good enough. And I think England are going to beat India in Guyana and South Africa will be too good for Afghanistan so it will be a South Africa versus England final.”
How did India and England reached the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal?
India beat Ireland, Pakistan and the USA in the group stage, before their game against Canada was washed out due to rain in Florida. The side then beat Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia to make the semis for the second straight time in T20 World Cups and fifth overall.
England, on the other hand, survived a scare in the group stage after their game against Namibia was washed out, before being helped by Australia to qualify for the Super Eight, where they beat West Indies and the USA to make the semis.
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