Adelaide: England batter Dawid Malan is a doubtful starter Thursday for his side’s T20 World Cup semifinal against India. Dawid Malan picked up an injury during the team’s final Super 12 game. Malan sustained a groin injury in England’s four-wicket win Saturday over Sri Lanka. The former World No. 1 T20I batter hobbled off the field during the Sri Lankan innings and did not return to bat in England’s run chase.
Vice-captain Moeen Ali said Malan’s injury doesn’t look good. “He (Malan) is a big player and has been for a number of years,” Ali told the ‘BBC’. “He has been one of our best players. I don’t know but it (Malan’s injury) doesn’t look great. He is certainly doubtful for the India game,” Ali added.
England, who finished second in their Super 12 Group 1, will clash with Group 1 toppers India. “It doesn’t get bigger and better than playing India anywhere in the world because of the crowds and they are such a big side and force in cricket,” Ali said.
Phil Salt, the only spare batter in the squad, is the likely replacement if Malan does not take the field.
Meanwhile India’s head coach Rahul Dravid indicated that the team management will continue with Rishabh Pant for the England game. In the first four matches of the World Cup, it was Dinesh Karthik, who had been preferred over Pant. However, for the Zimbabwe game, India had replaced Karthik with Pant.
Even though, Pant failed to contribute much with the bat against Zimbabwe, the Indian head coach asserted Monday that the team have full faith in Pant’s abilities. “You just don’t lose faith over a player by judging his performance in a single game. We will need Pant against England because of certain bowlers they have,” Dravid said.
