England thrashed New Zealand by 119 runs to seal a place in the last-four of World Cup 2019. The host side is likely to meet India in the semifinals if Virat Kohli and Co. lose to Sri Lanka on Saturday and Australia beat South Africa in its last league fixture. In that scenario, Australia will finish first, India second, England third and New Zealand fourth. The format of the tournament is such that No. 1 will lock horns with No. 4 while No 2. will face the No. 3 side.
An India-England semifinal in a World Cup will bring back memories of the last time the two teams squared off in the knockouts of the quadrennial event when England beat India in 1987.
When Gooch swept India away
Graham Gooch made a 136-ball 115 after the visitor was put in. Maninder Singh was the best spinner on view, but ironically it was off-spinner Eddie Hemmings who lured India to its doom. The preceding day Pakistan had been shut out by Australia in Lahore and the Indians may have celebrated the exit of their neighbour a trifle early.
After a narrow one-run loss to Australia at Chepauk, India went on to win five matches against New Zealand (Bangalore), Zimbabwe (Mumbai), Australia (Delhi), Zimbabwe (Ahmedabad), New Zealand (Nagpur) before Gooch made capital of the sweep shot against the two left-arm spinners Maninder Singh and Ravi Shastri and helped his team post 254 which turned out to be a winning one with India shot out for 219.
Chasing the target India was well placed at 168 for four, before Kapil Dev departed and the rest followed suit.
However, India had the better of England in the 1983 semifinal in Manchester when Mohinder Amarnath starred with bat and ball to power the Kapil Dev led side to the finals. India went on to beat the mighty West Indies to clinch its maiden title.
India will have a chance to avenge the loss should the two teams meet at Edgbaston in Birmingham on July 11.
Comments
SHARE