The final before the real final

Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler

India face their first moment of truth at the T20 World Cup. Having stacked up an unbeaten record over the group and Super Eight stages, they face defending champions England at the Guyana National Stadium on Thursday morning in the second semi-final, the past immaterial. It was at the same stage, a year and a half back, that Jos Buttler and his side had broken a billion hearts with a command performance against Rohit Sharma's men. India's 168 for six was made to look well below par as openers Buttler and Alex Hales rattled up 170 in just 16 overs, consigning India to one of their heaviest defeats.

Walking toe-to-toe

India have come a long way since that drubbing, though England have walked toe-to-toe with them in T20Is. India hold a 12-11 advantage in 20-over faceoffs and the sides are level 2-2 in World Cups; a fresh chapter in this intense rivalry will unfold on what is widely expected to be a spin-friendly surface.

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India spinners Kuldeep Yadav (left) and Ravindra Jadeja. Pics/Getty Images

Where India are packed with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja with leggie Yuzvendra Chahal lying in wait, England have the experienced duo of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid to fall back on. Liam Livingstone, the versatile ‘dual' spinner who is as adept at off-spin to left-handers as he is leg-spin to right-handers, is another resource at Buttler's disposal. India have negated spin threats from Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the Super Eights with consummate ease on their way to totals of 181 and 196 respectively.

They will be mindful of the English spin threat, but they won't be seized by it. A host of players have put their hand up for the Indians, not least the skipper himself in Monday's 24-run defeat of Australia. There have been consistent and impactful contributions throughout the batting order with the exception of Virat Kohli, while Jasprit Bumrah has been stunning with the ball, Arshdeep Singh is the second highest wicket-taker in the tournament and Kuldeep has lent a cutting edge in the middle overs.

England tweakers Moeen Ali (right) and Adil Rashid

England, by contrast, have been heavily reliant on their openers, Buttler and Phil Salt, who had a wonderful season with Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL-17. Jonny Bairstow has shaken off a poor first five months of 2024 and Harry Brook looms as a giant figure in the middle order alongside Livingston and Moeen, therefore it becomes imperative for India that Arshdeep extends his Powerplay form - he has picked up five wickets in that phase - and that Bumrah and Kuldeep continue to fuse economy with penetration.

Rain threat

There is a 70% chance of rain in Providence on match morning, a prediction all stakeholders concerned will be hoping doesn't hold true. There is no reserve day for the second semi-final and play can be extended by four and a half hours to eke out a result. In the event of an abandonment, India will go through to the June 29 final by virtue of having topped their Super Eight group, a route that won't please anyone, but the most die-hard Indian fan.

‘Buttler's England will need something extraordinary to beat India'

England will have to come up with an extraordinary performance to beat an in-form India in the semi-final, according to former all-rounder Paul Collingwood (above), who feels that the Men in Blue are unlikely to lose the grudge match against the defending champions. India and England are set to clash on Thursday in a repeat of the 2022 last four stage match in Adelaide which Jos Buttler and his men won by 10 wickets. "Honestly, I can't see India losing this time. England will need something extraordinary to beat them. Back then, India played conservatively, especially in the first 10 overs. But India's approach has changed," Collingwood told Star Sports.

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No of T20Is India and England have played against each other. India have won 12 matches, while England have emerged victorious 11 times

4
No of times India and England have faced each other in T20 World Cup. Both teams have won twice