Mumbai, March 4 – While India, like England, has had a challenging journey to the semi-finals, bowling coach Morne Morkel downplayed the team's inconsistency, saying, "It's not about how you reach the semi-finals, but about winning the next two games."
The defending champions, India, were the favorites going into the T20 World Cup, but their campaign has been inconsistent. They faced a must-win situation against the West Indies but managed to secure the victory.
In a pre-semifinal media interaction with England, Morkel was asked about the bowling performance, including Varun Chakaravarthy, who had an expensive outing despite his usual standards.
"They are good teams, they play well. If you expect us to bowl teams out for 120 or 150, that's unrealistic. We are in the semi-finals and have won cricket matches. We know that margins are tight in India."
"It's not about how you reach the semi-finals. It's about the next two games and how you will play," Morkel said.
England, too, has faced challenges heading into the semi-finals, searching for the perfect game. This could come against the hosts on Thursday night.
"For us, that's something we haven't really discussed, the perfect game. I think the quality of this team has shown that on any given day, someone can perform. Hopefully, in the last two games, especially tomorrow night, we can deliver that special performance."
"Unfortunately, we all know how the game goes, success is never guaranteed, but if we can give ourselves the best chance to perform, that's what we strive for. This is a big occasion tomorrow night, the semi-final, and a great stadium for a great game of cricket, so hopefully, the boys can come and execute their plans."
The former South Africa pacer also highlighted that the series win over England last year is no longer relevant. He termed the Harry Brook-led side as a dangerous unit. The series win included a dominant victory at Wankhede, with Abhishek Sharma scoring a memorable century.
"Playing against England, they are a street-smart team. There is a lot of quality in their batting, they can bat deep, which makes them a very dangerous side."
"With the ball, they have wicket-taking options. I think the way they approach a T20 game, being fearless and trying to take control, will give you opportunities, and that makes them a dangerous side. I feel tomorrow will be a good battle between two aggressive teams," Morkel said.
Considering the rising temperatures, Morkel emphasized the importance of ensuring the surface doesn't dry out. Therefore, there was ample grass cover on the eve of the game.
"To be honest, we're not quite sure how the wicket will play. I'm pretty sure you'll experience walking here, it's a lot hotter suddenly in India, so in terms of moisture and allowing the wicket to remain damp, I think it will be key to play well."
"Team selection will depend on what we see on game day. From there, we just need to be smart in our skills, reading the conditions and adapting to them. Our plan is to go in with a specific strategy, but the key is to find that skill of how to play on the wicket on a particular day."
"Like I said, I'll probably have a better indication of what the surface will play like tomorrow. At the moment, because of the heat, they have given it a little bit of water, so it's quite soft, so it's quite difficult to get a proper 100% accurate read on it," Morkel added.
He also mentioned that the toss will play a significant role if there is dew. Heavy dew is expected in the second half of the game.
"I think dew is always a concern. But that's again something you can't control. If there is dew, the toss is important. I think at Wankhede, there's always that extra bit of bounce. Guys can trust the bounce and lead through the line."
"In saying that, that can also, as a bowler, bring you into the game. I just feel that the margins here are a lot smaller. The ball travels, and it's a relatively small ground."
"So you just need to be really focused, stay in the moment, and compete on every ball," he added.
