DUBAI: The ICC T20 World Cup cricket has already been overshadowed by the Expo 2021 Dubai that’s currently being held here.
With the Indian team all set for an important match against Scotland tomorrow, it’s difficult to find any posters of the global tournament which was postponed last year.
As the hosts, India is now organising the tournament in a neutral venue — UAE and Oman. But there’s not much of any excitement that’s visible given the fact the Indian and Pakistan communities constitute a large part of Dubai’s expat population.
The distance of the Dubai Cricket Stadium at Sports City also dampens the spirit of the common cricket fans, who have to take a 45-minute metro ride until Dubai Internet City from where they will have to either board a public transport or hire a taxi for another half-an-hour drive to the venue.
India’s battle for survival
Back on the pitch, India will resume their battle for survival in another must-win contest. Not that Virat Kohli will need a victory, but a good and convincing one that would help them improve their net run-rate.
India are battling Afghanistan and New Zealand for the final spot.
India’s opponents Scotland have lost all three of their Super 12 games and are out of the competition, but they can spoil India’s dreams.
The Scotts pushed New Zealand close in a 16-run defeat on Wednesday when chasing an imposing 173-run target.
They also defeated Test-playing Bangladesh in the qualifying round to make the second stage and crucially book a guaranteed spot in the 2022 tournament in Australia.
The pitch in Dubai is starting to get better for batting in the T20 World Cup. The bowlers, however, are expected to make hay on the surface. The batters need to be a tad careful while playing shots on the up. Batting second should be the preferred option for teams.
