Head coach Justin Sammons has said that Zimbabwe are gearing up for a fierce contest against the India national cricket team of their Super Eight fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday. Coming off a heavy defeat against the West Indies cricket team in Mumbai, Sammons believes his side has gathered necessary lessons that might help them compete higher in the subsequent match. Zimbabwe were outplayed by 107 runs in that encounter, with the West Indies posting a large 254 for six, the second-highest total within the tournament’s history.
Sammons expects India to indicate similar attacking intent, especially after their very own 83-run defeat to the South Africa national cricket team. He feels the Indian side will look to dominate from the outset in Chennai. “We all know the way in which India goes to come back out and it’s going to be very much like the way in which West Indies approached their innings. They’re (India) not going to carry back,” Sammons said after the match.
Learning From The Mumbai Setback
The Zimbabwe coach admitted that the loss in Mumbai exposed several weaknesses, particularly in handling pressure during crucial phases of the sport. Nonetheless, he views the experience as a invaluable learning curve. In keeping with Sammons, the team must remain calm and think clearly when facing aggressive batting units. “There will likely be good learnings from that and the way we take care of that, under pressure within the moment, how can we stay calm and just think on our feet and likewise just try to change things up a little bit bit, disrupt the rhythm of the batters,” he added.
He identified that the bowlers struggled to differ their plans and allowed the opposition to settle right into a rhythm. Strong teams often make the most of predictable bowling patterns, and Zimbabwe paid the worth for not adapting quickly enough.
Smarter Strategy Needed In Chennai
Justin Sammons openly admitted that Zimbabwe’s bowling approach against the West Indies was “predictable,” something they can not afford to repeat against India. He stressed the importance of tactical awareness and suppleness within the upcoming clash. The larger dimensions of the Chennai ground, in comparison with Mumbai, may provide some relief for the bowlers and help contain big hitters more effectively.
“…we may be a little bit bit smarter in that regard. Chennai will likely be a bit greater (ground) and it probably will likely be a little bit bit more comfy in that aspect there,” he said. With renewed focus and a clearer plan, Zimbabwe hope to challenge India strongly and respond positively after their disappointing performance in Mumbai.
Get the most recent cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.