T20 World Cup 2021: 3 talking points from India’s resounding victory over Scotland

KEY STORY

• India kept their qualification hopes for the semi-final of the 2021 T20 World Cup with a resounding victory over Scotland. The Men in Blue won the encounter by eight wickets with 13.3 overs to spare.

• After Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to bowl first, Scotland were bowled out for just 85 runs on the board. In reply, India chased down the target in just 6.3 overs to give a massive boost to their Net Run Rate.

• If Afghanistan beat New Zealand, India can qualify for the semi-final by just bettering the victory margin of Mohammad Nabi’s side against Namibia. However, a New Zealand win on Sunday will rule out any chance of India making it to the semi-final.

  Here are three key talking points from India’s stunning victory over Scotland

  1) Three spinner strategy works 

  Virat Kohli made just one change to his line-up from the game against Afghanistan as Varun Chakravarthy replaced Shardul Thakur in the line-up. Given the fact that India had only played with a three-pacer and two-spinner combination in the tournament so far, this was a significant change in approach.

  The decision to play three spinners worked wonders as the Scottish batsmen failed to read the Indian spinners. Ravindra Jadeja bowled a match-winning spell as he took three wickets and conceded just 15 runs in four overs. Ravichandran Ashwin also chipped in with one scalp while Varun Chakravarthy was wicketless but bowled an economic spell by going for just 15 runs in three overs.

  2) Toss rules roast in Dubai 

  While delighted with the victory, Indian fans would be left asking themselves after the game what could have happened had they won the toss in the games against Pakistan and New Zealand too. On Friday evening, the massive advantage teams bowling first have in Dubai during evening games was on display as the Indian bowlers had a memorable evening.

  India kept their qualification hopes for the semi-final of the 2021 T20 World Cup with a resounding victory over Scotland. The Men in Blue won the encounter by eight wickets with 13.3 overs to spare.