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Ahead of India's semifinal clash against England in the ICC T20 World Cup at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, former England cricketer Michael Atherton said that while India is an exceptional side, they are not unbeatable, lacking one "spare" bowling option and some of their batters not being at their best form.
For the third time in a row, India and England will be locking horns in a T20 World Cup semifinal match after the 2022 and 2024 editions. While Atherton pointed out India's flaws during the Sky Cricket Podcast, he still feels England will have to be "at their best" to beat them, and the final match would be a rematch of the 2024 edition between India and South Africa. Speaking during the Sky Cricket Podcast, Atherton spoke on how England should be having a lot of confidence after reaching the semifinals despite a poor run by openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, who have not fired even 200 runs together combined and have got just one half-century, with Salt scoring one. Buttler has looked a shadow of himself, with just 62 runs in seven innings. "Everybody said before this tournament that if England are going to win it then a big part of it will be the Salt-Buttler partnership, but neither has really got going," said Atherton. "They will take confidence from winning without that main bit of their team functioning, and they are getting better. Atherton feels that England have not been at the top of their game and has been asking himself that whethet this team will get better during crunch situations like the 2022 title-winning squad. The England legend added, "India are an exceptional side, obviously, and I thought the run chase against West Indies under pressure [to qualify for the semi-finals] was exceptional." "But I do not think they are unbeatable. Issues like fielding, bowling if you get after one or two of their main five (bowlers) - they are lacking a spare option in that department." "Some of their batters have not found their best either, so they are not impregnable. I think England have to be at their best to beat them - and my instinct would be an India vs South Africa in the final, a replay of 2024," he concluded. (ANI)
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