🏏Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #29: India vs England 29 Oct 🏏

🏏Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #29: India vs England at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on 29/10/2023 at 2:00 PM IST 🏏

Unbeaten India look to push England further towards elimination

Defending champions England are hanging by a thread with just one win from five matches

India versus England was among the most anticipated matches of the 2023 ODI World Cup. After all, it is the pre-tournament favourites (and the hosts) taking on the defending champions. But no one had imagined that England would be hanging by the thinnest of threads by the time this game would arrive.

With just one win from five games, England are lurking near the bottom of the points table. If they are to make it to the knockouts from here, every atom in this universe needs to work for them - there are that many permutations they need to go in their favour.

England seem to have already done what was in their control. They have tried all 15 players in the original squad, tried to play with no care in the world, and even left out their vice-captain for three out of five games. Nothing has worked.

India, on the other hand, have looked like the most complete team. With five wins in as many matches, they are the only unbeaten team in the tournament. They even defeated New Zealand, their bogey team at the ICC events, despite missing their most irreplaceable, two-in-one player Hardik Pandya.

The key to India's success is how they start. Rohit Sharma has been setting the tone in the powerplay, striking at 134.01, while Jasprit Bumrah has been doing it with the ball, with an eye-popping economy of 2.90 in the first ten overs.

If India win tomorrow, they will regain the top spot and push England further to the brink of elimination. But they are still without Hardik, who is recovering from his ankle injury. And that means going in with just five frontline bowlers once again. Perhaps that's why Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav were rolling their arms over in the nets.

Tag Credit: Sutapasima

India vs England pitch report

Lucknow will host the match between India and England. The pitch at the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium has been good for batting in the 2023 World Cup, with South Africa even managing to score a 300+ total. Fast bowlers Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha took a four-wicket haul each for Sri Lanka in the last game at this venue.

India vs England weather forecast

A cloudy sky is expected for this match in Lucknow, but there will be no rain interruptions. The temperature will stay around 26 degrees Celsius, and the humidity level will be approximately 51%.

Pitch and conditions: A red-soil surface

In three matches so far at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in this World Cup, spinners have registered an economy of 4.79, as opposed to 5.63 by seamers. But Sunday's match will be played on a red-soil pitch with light patches of grass. So expect the seamers to have a bigger say.

The temperature in the afternoon will be around 31°C but should drop by five degrees in the evening. There's no forecast for rain.

England vs India Head-to-Head in ODI

Matches 106

India 57, England 44

Tie 2, NR 3

England vs India Head-to-Head in ODI World Cup

Matches 8

India 3, England 4

Tie 1, NR 0

HEAD TO HEAD LAST 5 MATCHES

India won by 5 wickets (with 47 balls remaining) 17-Jul-2022

England won by 100 runs 14-Jul-2022

India won by 10 wickets (with 188 balls remaining) 12-Jul-2022

India won by 7 runs 28-Mar-2021

England won by 6 wickets (with 39 balls remaining) 26-Mar-2021

This was supposed to be the marquee clash of the tournament, between two of the pre-tournament favourties. It's a surprise then we are where we are as India gets ready to take on England, in a clash that could potentially end even the glimmer of hope that the defending champions hold.

England themselves have uttered multiple times that the mathematical equation left gives them little hope with head coach Matthew Mott, skipper Jos Buttler and assistant coach Marcus Trescothick echoing each other's thoughts. Having resigned to their fate already, the clash now has been dimmed of some shine.

Nevertheless, what it now could offer both teams some look ahead at individual gameplans and overall strategy despite not being a dead rubber, technically. India, without Hardik Pandya, would rest easy now given that they've won five games on the trot, but will be wary of reclaiming that form after a five-day break between games.

The next leg of games come thick and fast for them with one eye already glancing towards a potential semifinal clash, and at the pecking order at the top. For what it's worth, there are still possibilities where India can not finish in the top four despite their run so far, and even a win tomorrow doesn't guarantee them that. What it would do is hold them in good stead, and send out another strong message across the board about their form and help create an air of invincibility on home turf.

Given that they've been chasing all along the tournament, it could also offer them a chance to try the other route if the opportunity arises, and if the conditions are in favour.

Thanks for the tag, Raji!❤️

Batters To Watch(recent stats)

Shubman Gill, IND

7 M • 421 Runs • 70.17 Avg • 102.93 SR

Virat Kohli, IND

7 M • 410 Runs • 102.5 Avg • 90.7 SR

Dawid Malan, ENG

7 M • 443 Runs • 63.29 Avg • 106.74 SR

Ben Stokes, ENG

4 M • 231 Runs • 57.75 Avg • 107.44 SR

Bowlers To Watch(recent stats)

Jasprit Bumrah, IND

8 M • 16 Wkts • 4.53 Econ • 27 SR

Mohammed Shami, IND

4 M • 13 Wkts • 5.18 Econ • 15.69 SR

Moeen Ali, ENG

5 M • 7 Wkts • 6.12 Econ • 28.57 SR

Liam Livingstone, ENG

7 M • 6 Wkts • 4.42 Econ • 31 SR

Team News

India

Will they have R Ashwin back for this game given that England have a few left-handers and with the conditions likely to favour spin? It could be one of the questions on their mind alongside another big one in choosing the pacers. With Mohammed Shami's five-fer, there could be a temptation to stick with him instead of Mohammad Siraj, who has been in lukewarm form in the World Cup after having set alight the format in the days preceding that. It could be a tough call to make either way.

Tactics & Strategy

Jos Buttler has fallen to pace all five times in World Cup 2023, and the same number of times to Mohammed Shami as well. If he plays, India would probably not waste time in testing out this match-up for more reasons than one.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin/Mohammad Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami

England

Despite losing their previous game, England may be tempted to stick to a eleven that largely resembles the same combination. If the track offers a bit of grip, there could be the temptation to bring back Sam Curran. Harry Brook would also be breathing down the neck of Liam Livingstone despite the latter's bowling offerings.

Tactics & Strategy

Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have dismissed Virat Kohli three times apiece so far. In this tournament, Kohli is yet to be dismissed by a spinner but that shouldn't prevent England from unleashing the spinners when he arrives, should the chance come by.

Probable XI: Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone/Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Quotes

"Whoever has got the chance, they have contributed. I know that big scores have not been scored, hundreds have not been scored apart from Virat and Rohit. But that is the challenge for the other guys. Shubman has scored a fifty, Shreyas has scored a fifty, I have been batting well. When Jadeja got the chance in the last match, he also finished the match. So, every player has a different role. And they are playing their role and responsibility well. The team is winning, so we are not really worried. Whenever anyone gets a chance, I'm sure they'll put their hands up."

KL Rahul isn't worried about the lack of hundreds from the middle order

"We were desperate to come here and try and win back-to-back 50 over competitions. We're still very much focused on all formats of the game."

England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick plays down the idea that England have lost interest in ODIs

Stats and trivia: Kohli vs England

• Only twice a defending World Cup champion has failed to reach the knockouts: Australia in 1992 and Sri Lanka in 1999.
• Shreyas Iyer is 69 away from 2000 ODI runs. If he gets there on Sunday, he will be the joint second-fastest Indian to the mark.
• If Buttler scores 82 runs on Sunday, he will become the joint second-fastest Englishman to 5000 ODI runs. Overall, only six wicketkeeper-batters have 5000 or more runs in ODIs.
• England are the only team against whom Kohli has played more than one ODI and averages less than 50 (43.22).
• Shami has dismissed Buttler five times in 60 balls, more than any other bowler in ODIs.
• Jonny Bairstow averages 13.25 against Ravindra Jadeja in ODIs, with four dismissals in six innings.

Disclaimer: This is just a prediction. Not a personal opinion.