India’s road to semi-final show few hurdles despite a win, Dhoni’s side is grappling with serious issues. The scenario displayed in the chart clearly reveals that Team India is having an outside chance if we lose to Australia in their last match also. But after an encore in Bangalore, the cricket fans in India expect an easy win against an aggressive Australian side in the final match in the league and that will give a clear entry to the home side. Or else we will have to look for a backdoor entry. Dhoni’s outburst against media is not warranted at this stage of the tournament. While the hosts are placed second in the points table in Group 2, their run rate is below New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan and now we are looking at ifs and buts in the World Cup T-20 tournament. As the league level matches are coming to a close by the week-end, it is the run rate alone that will begin to matter. This is after a miserable lose in the opening match against New Zealand, which is haunting our chances and remain a doubtful starter for the semi-final berth. Even if the odds were to favour the millions, who dote on MS Dhoni’s boys, chances are you probably won’t find a place in the last four stage. We need to see Dhoni’s magic in Mohali as well to see through a safe way of entering the knock out stage of the Championship. We need to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Nickhil Mani
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
