Sports
CLOSE-IN: India have the fire-power to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
The Indian cricket team has embarked on its journey for the T20 World Cup 2022 to be played in Australia. This is wonderful news as the team will get enough time to get acclimatised to the conditions Down Under.
India play their first match on October 23 at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground against arch-rivals Pakistan. This is the most crucial match for the Indian side as a defeat in it could put them in deep waters to qualify. The main rivals, thereafter, are South Africa, Bangladesh and possibly the West Indies, if they qualify from their group games.
India should have got over their disappointing performance in the Asia Cup 2022, having beaten Australia and South Africa in a three-match T20I series at home. The only blemish for India was that they lost their last match against South Africa solely due to experimenting with their bench strength players — the reason being that India had already wrapped up the series and felt that they could do with a change.
One felt that India needed to keep their winning momentum intact, as a loss may not seem important but it has a lingering impact on a team’s confidence inadvertently.
The Indian team may rue the fact that their lethal frontline bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, unfortunately, due to injury, will not be a part of their side. However, India do have a battery of pacers to choose from in their fold.
The most difficult adaptation required for any side to play in Australia is to get used to their wickets and conditions. The additional bounce off the wicket is one area that has been difficult to handle for most batsmen. Fortunately, the Indian team will have a fortnight to get acclimatised through a few practice matches and net sessions.
The T20 game is one in which batters have to start playing their shots from the very first delivery. This is where the challenge lies for the Indian batters as the shots that one is used to playing in India on a particular delivery are hugely different from what one needs to play in Australia. Similarly for the bowlers, the length to bowl varies substantially from what one is used to back home.
India, on their last trip to Australia in 2020/21, did fairly well in both the T20I and Test series, and one hopes that they are able to recollect and adjust their game accordingly. They now have the time to do so.
India’s batting strength is far ahead of any of their rivals. A team that boasts of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav as the top-four batters and the likes of Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and the canny Dinesh Karthik to follow. This is a dream line-up for any side.
India also boast of having some very good spin options. They have a leg-spinner in Yuzvendra Chahal, the accurate left-arm spin of Axar Patel and the world’s top off-spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin. The larger Australian grounds will suit them far better, and both Melbourne and Sydney wickets have shown that one can derive turn on them as well. Spin will play a very important part in the tournament and India fortunately are well equipped in that department.
The only area of worry is in India’s pace bowling options. Although Bhuvneshwar Kumar is an experienced bowler, the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel have still to earn their spurs. Mohammed Shami as a replacement for Bumrah, if fit, would be an ideal option.
The Indian players, having had the advantage of playing the IPL, are now very familiar with the T20 concept and the situations that one confronts while playing it.
India started well in the Asia Cup by beating Pakistan but, thereafter, they faltered against them as well as Sri Lanka. The losses were not because of their cricketing skills but more in the way they approached the matches mentally.
The problem with the Indian team is the pressure that they put themselves into because of the hype that follows them. The millions of well-wishers and fans may look like a wonderful following but they can become a heavy burden to carry on ones’ shoulders as well.
Team India needs to approach the T20 World Cup without the worry of winning the Cup. They need to play in a carefree manner without thinking about the outcome. India’s victory in the inaugural tournament in the T20 World Cup in 2007 was achieved by a young side that one least expected to win because they played without a care.
India are the current No. 1-ranked T20 side in the world. This they have achieved through their consistent performances this year. The unfortunate fallout from being at the top is that everyone expects India to win. This has been the tale of woe since 2014 in all the multi-national ICC tournaments.
One feels that the Indian team looks far more comfortable and determined approaching this World Cup. The expectations of their followers are also much less, having been disappointed in the past. The time is just right for India to shine. A Diwali victory on the eve of the festival against Pakistan would be just the right way for India to start their campaign.
India have the firepower to win, it is only the mental belief to do so that they seem to falter on, when put under pressure.
The Indian Women’s cricket team seems to be on the verge of winning the Asia Cup 2022. Their victory could be just the catalyst and booster for the men to emulate.
{Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer)
Houston, June 16: Portugal will kick off their 2026 World Cup journey against DR Congo on Wednesday, aiming for an ideal start in Group K, which also features Colombia and Uzbekistan. Widely considered favourites to progress, Roberto Martinez’s side will be keen to secure three points early and strengthen their bid to finish top of the group.
The spotlight will once again fall on Cristiano Ronaldo, who enters what is expected to be his sixth and final World Cup. At 41, the Portuguese captain has already lifted the UEFA European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup remains the one major honour missing from his glittering career.
For DR Congo, the tournament marks a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage after more than five decades. Their only previous appearance came in 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire. Having finally ended a 52-year absence from the World Cup, Sebastien Desabre’s side will now look to build on that achievement and prove they can challenge more established opponents in Group K.
How to watch Portugal vs DR Congo live in India:
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key details:
Date and kick-off time: Wednesday, June 17, 10.30 PM IST
Venue: Houston Stadium, Texas, USA
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim
Squads:
Portugal-
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva
Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, Tomas Araujo
Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samuel Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva
Forwards: João Félix, Francisco Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos; Cristiano Ronaldo
DR Congo-
Goalkeepers: Timothy Fayulu, Lionel Mpasi, Mike Epolo
Defenders: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Gedeon Kalulu, Joris Kayembe, Arthur Masuaku, Steve Kapuadi, Rocky Bushiri, Axel Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba, Dylan Batubinsika
Midfielders: Noah Sadiki, Samuel Moutoussamy, Edo Kayembe, Nathan Mukau, Charles Pickel, Ngal’ayel Mukau Mbuku, Brian Cipenga, Theo Bongonda, Gael Kakuta
Forwards: Meschack Elia, Fiston Mayele, Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, Yoane Wissa
Sports
FIFA WC 2026: ‘Physically fit Haaland primed for massive impact’, says Norway coach Solbakken
Boston, June 16: Head coach Stale Solbakken hailed Erling Haaland as the “world’s best goalscorer” and stated that the physically fit one of the world’s deadliest strikers is primed to make a massive impact as Norway are making their return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence.
Norway will begin their World Cup campaign against Iraq in a challenging Group I that includes two-time champions France and Senegal on Wednesday in Boston.
Haaland has scored 55 goals in 50 international appearances for the Norway national team, making him the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He reached 50 Norway goals in 46 appearances. It made him just the sixth footballer and first in 53 years to register the half-century in fewer than 50 international caps.
Haaland, with 17 goals in nine games, finished as international football’s leading marksman for 2025, six clear on his closest challengers. Solbakken believes powerhouse Haaland is without equal when it comes to to putting the ball in the back of the net.
“Hopefully Erling will have a very big impact. I think he’s the world’s best goalscorer. He is physically fit, he was given a little break at the end of the season – (missing) one game for Manchester City and one for us. Hopefully we can give him good service because, if we give him chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken told reporters.
Solbakken also highlighted the importance of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard. “When he is on the pitch he is a very, very important player for us, and he’s our captain. He dictates, in many areas, the tempo of our play,” the coach said.
Norway’s last World Cup appearance came in 1998, when Solbakken was part of the squad. Securing qualification for the 2026 finals carries special meaning for the former midfielder.
“I think that’s for every citizen – to lead this country in a game like that. And especially after 28 years, then obviously that is perhaps the top thing on the list. Hopefully it will be a nice experience. We will firstly get a good performance and then a nice result,” he said.
Asked what his last message to the players would be before the match, Solbakken said motivation would not be an issue, but handling the occasion correctly would be key.
“The match can have better and less good periods, and we have to find back the good feeling if we lose that feeling in the course of the match,” he said.
Madrid, June 8: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains confident that the injured trio of Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Victor Munoz will be fit in time to start his side’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.
De la Fuente was speaking to the press ahead of his side’s friendly against Peru in the Mexican city of Puebla, which is the final chance to make adjustments ahead of his side’s World Cup opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on June 15, reports Xinhua.
De la Fuente left Williams, Munoz, and Yamal at Spain’s base in Chattanooga to continue their return to fitness, but insisted they were “meeting their recovery deadlines.”
“They were scheduled to do more specific work these next few days, and if they continue progressing this way, I think they’ll be available [against Cabo Verde],” he said.
Yamal and Williams have hamstring problems, while Munoz has a calf strain. “Each one had their own process. Lamine’s injury was different, as was its duration. But the most important thing is that, within the expected timeframe, he’s currently fit to be included in the squad,” De la Fuente insisted.
Yamal, Williams, and Munoz all play on the wing, but even if they aren’t fit for the opening game, De la Fuente said he had players in the squad who could provide cover.
“We have other options. There are different styles, and we’ll see how the week goes,” the coach said, adding that the Peru game would see him field a more recognisable team than the one that drew 1-1 with Iraq last Thursday.
“I have a plan for how to start the World Cup if there are no adverse circumstances. Football can always surprise you, but I won’t reveal the lineup,” he concluded.
The Spain national team reached the United States on Saturday to continue with its preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals, with a few questions still to be answered — especially the one hanging in the balance of the fate of the injured trio.
Spain flew in from Santiago de Compostela (northern Spain) to Nashville after Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Iraq, and from Nashville, the squad travelled to Baylor School in Chattanooga, which will be its base for the tournament.
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