India has been winning after losing… Entry into the semi-finals is difficult – not impossible, the situation was similar in 2007 too, when the team became the winner.

India was in Group D, which included Pakistan and Scotland. India’s first match with Scotland was washed out due to rain. Both teams got one point each. The second match was against arch-rival Pakistan which was a tie and the match was decided by ball out.

With the victory over Pakistan, India reached Super-8 with 3 points where it lost to New Zealand in the very first match. His next two matches were to be played with South Africa and England. Both the teams were in form and it was believed that it was going to be difficult for India. The second match was with England, which no one can forget. This was the same match in which Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes on Stuart Broad in a single over.

Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes in Stuart Broad’s over.

Before Yuvraj, Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir had vented their anger on the English team and had written the script of India’s victory. However, this victory alone was not going to do anything, because India’s run rate was not very good. New Zealand had already almost confirmed its place in the semi-finals by winning the earlier match with England. Here, Africa had maintained its challenge by defeating New Zealand and had increased India’s problems. He had also won against England. That means England’s hope of reaching the front among the four teams was over, but there was a war between the remaining three teams.

The match between India and Africa was decisive, because till now South Africa and New Zealand had won 2-2 matches. The problem was that even after victory, India would have been tied in the points table, in such a situation the net run rate was going to be decisive. The team was a little ahead in this matter, because it had not lost against any team by a big margin. On 20 September 2007, India defeated South Africa by 37 runs. Due to this, India’s run rate increased and it became the first team from Group E to reach the semi-finals, New Zealand remained at second place and South Africa could not qualify even after winning 2.

The semi-final was played against India and Australia, in which, thanks to Yuvraj’s match-winning innings, India scored 188 runs and restricted Australia to 173 runs. India and Pakistan were face to face in the final. India won the toss and chose to bat. Gautam Gambhir played an inning of 75 runs. Pakistan chased well. Misbah took the team closer to the target. But in the last over, Misbah was caught by Sreesanth while trying to hit a scoop shot on the ball of Joginder Sharma and India won the match by 5 runs and lifted the trophy.

The situation of the Indian team is similar to that of 2007, but this time the players of the team have not been able to perform at that level yet. The biggest weakness for the team could be the run rate. Although India still has opportunities, if the Indian team wins the matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies by a big margin, then India’s net run rate will also improve, which will help the team go to the next round. However, for this it is necessary that the batsmen of the Indian team perform well, which is almost proving to be a failure this time.

Barring Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dubey, no Indian batsman has been able to perform well till now, whereas in 2007 we had an explosive opening pair like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, while the middle cream had Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Singh Dhoni himself as a finisher. There was variation in bowling like RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth and Joginder Sharma, which troubled the strong teams of the world.