Keep calm & keep it simple: Rohit & Co are battle-ready

Georgetown (Guyana), June 26

India skipper Rohit Sharma today said his team is focussed on staying calm and keeping things simple in the high-pressure T20 World Cup semifinal against England here, acknowledging that it has battled a fear of failure in the past.

The Indian team would look to extract revenge in the clash against England for the crushing 10-wicket loss it endured in the 2022 semifinal at the Adelaide Oval.

We don’t want to be talking about that it is a as semifinal. We are enjoying each other’s company. It is a knockout game. If you think too much, it doesn’t help. We want to be a smart cricket team. I have kept things simple personally and for the players as well. Rohit Sharma, India captain

“It is a bit of both,” said Rohit when asked whether his side has been let down by fear of failure or bad luck in its past quests for a world title. “We want to treat this as a normal game. We don’t want to be talking about that it is as a semifinal. We are enjoying each other’s company and we need to carry on. It is a knockout game. If you think too much, it doesn’t help,” he asserted.

The 27-year-old Mumbaikar said he expects his teammates to play smart cricket tomorrow. “Honestly, not a lot has changed since 2022. We have tried to play with free mind, T20Is and ODIs as well. It all depends on conditions which were challenging throughout the tournament here,” said Rohit at the pre-match press conference. “We want to be a smart cricket team. I have kept things simple personally and for the players as well. We have done well with role clarity and rely on the players making good decisions on the field. Everyone knows they need to get the job done. We don’t need to change from 2022 to 2024,” he said.