Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not confessed that they were the reason India lost the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final to England by 10 wickets, Sanjay Manjrekar made a bold claim. Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized that the attitude has changed dramatically since the one-sided knockout match.
He claimed that India has not admitted that the loss was a wake-up call for them, as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have never discussed their knocks losing the team to the semifinals. Kohli hit 50 off 40 balls, while Sharma finished with 27 from 28 deliveries.
India registered 168/6 in 20 overs. England’s openers made a mockery of the target, chasing it down in just 16 overs.
Interestingly, India will clash with England once again in the semi-finals, this time in the 2024 T20 World Cup, on June 27 in Guyana.
“India is completely changed as a T20 side. That was a wake-up call for India. They may not admit it. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have never confessed that they helped India lose the semifinals, but this new India is a completely different India. What’s also good for India is that England is looking a little weaker than they were a couple of years back. So that just helps India’s cause,” Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.
Manjrekar predicted that the Indian hitters would go all guns blazing in the semifinals, as they have throughout the tournament.
“Virat Kohli is a little bit of a worry”- Sanjay Manjrekar ahead of IND v ENG semi-final
Manjrekar did, however, say that it needs to be seen whether Virat Kohli will continue to play with the same intent after a spate of disappointing performances. He emphasized that Kohli has always accepted responsibility in key matches.
The cricketer-turned-commentator expressed his opinion on the senior batter’s performance, saying: “Virat Kohli is a little bit of a worry because he hasn’t got the runs, but he stayed committed to this approach of taking risks and doesn’t worry about getting out. Whether he’ll continue to do that in the semifinal, because this is a guy who has taken up the responsibility on the big stage, he feels that he’s the guy who’s got to do it. Plus he’s short of runs. The thing to look for is if he’s hit a four or a six and if he picks a single, then you know that he’s batting a little differently.”
Kohli has scored 66 runs in six appearances in the ongoing showpiece event. India would like the top batter to record a huge score in the crucial semifinals.
