Can Indians recreate Eden Gardens at Eden Park?

Hyderabad: It’s the last time the men in blue will be in business in the Group stage. Having won all their encounters so far, their last game is more or less, what we call, the nets session. 

They’ve whisked past all the teams to perch prettily on top of the points table of Pool A, showing everyone why they’re the defending champions and rightful owners of the coveted silverware. Their last match against Zimbabwe would be of no consequence – neither to India whom no one can stop from going to the quarters, nor to Zimbabwe, whom no one can save from going home.

Despite that, the Indians wouldn’t look at messing around with their playing XI. Being one of the associate teams for a long time now, the once-glorious Zimbabwe team is now reduced to a ghost of its past. 

Therefore, the bilateral relationship between biggies India and them has been on and off. They’ve played the Indians very less, and even when they have, it’s mostly been a second rung team that they’ve faced. Therefore, it’s one of those occasions when they face a full-strength Indian team. 

They’d would want to make the most of it. To add to it, it’s Brendan Taylor’s last match. They would look to seize the moment to make his swansong rather star-studded.

While the Indians have been on a demolition spree right from the word go, team Zimbabwe never had it all together. 

Of their 5 encounters, they won just one, their sole win coming against associate cousin UAE. The South Africans beat them by 62 runs, Windies by 73 runs, Pakistan by 20 runs and Ireland by 5. 

They came rather close in their last two matches, but then, their efforts were not clinical enough. No wonder, they’re languishing at the bottom of the pile, with no chances, not even bleak, to make it to the next round.

Their batting has been good. Starring for them with the willow, is obviously 29-year-old wicketkeeper batsman Brendan Taylor. In the match against South Africa, he scored 40 off 40 deliveries, spiced up with 4 fours and 1 six, against UAE, he made 47 off 44, with 5 fours and 1 six. 

Against Pakistan, he led a one-man show, notching up a 50 under difficult circumstances. His big moment came when he brought up his century against Ireland, slamming 121 off 91 balls, laced with 11 fours and 4 sixes. He has played 161 ODIs, scoring 5120 runs for his side, his highest being 145 not out. The Indians need to take his wicket early on.

The other dangerman for the Indians could be SC Williams, an all-rounder. His 76 against UAE, 76 against Zimbabwe and 96 against Ireland, coupled with his 2 wickets against UAE at 5.37 per over, 2 against Pakistan at 4.80 and 3 against Ireland at 8.00 makes him the man Zimbabwe can rely on. 

In terms of the bowling department, 24-year-old Tendai Larry Chatara leads the pack with 3 wickets against UAE, 3 against Pakistan and 3 against Ireland.

The Indians pretty much have everything their way. With this match bearing no effects on their campaign, they can take it light and do a bit of experiments, too. The Eden Park will have pace and has seen pretty low scoring matches. The Indians don’t have a great record here, winning only 3 of the 8 matches that they’ve played here so far.

Still, it’s the Indians. But, you never know.