England are perilously close to bowing out of a Cricket World Cup that they were pre-tournament favourites to win and need to beat India to ensure they stay ahead of the chasing pack.
India are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament and they can make life difficult for England and do a favour for the chasing pack.
Cricket World Cup 2019 | Sunday 30 June 2019 | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:30
To Win Match
England 21/20
Tie 40/1
India 82/100
England
England have struggled to be consistently at their best and have especially missed Jason Roy at the top of the order, with James Vince a poor substitute.
Jofra Archer has been excellent form with the ball in hand taking 16 wickets in seven matches but faces the test of his ODI career to date in an India batting lineup that is close to its best.
England need to get their World Cup campaign into gear and the top order will need to be at their best to overcome India’s spin threat. Pitches have provided more challenge than England might have expected them to, damp conditions have played into the hands of expert tweakers.
Joe Root has two centuries to his name in this tournament but it has been a rollercoaster ride for the Three Lions, with amazing highs but also some dreadful lows, like the defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia.
While Sunday is expected to be a cool 21 degrees in the shade England will be delighted that Saturday is forecast to be warm and Sunny which should ensure a top batting surface at Edgbaston.
India
If the pitch does prove a batsman’s paradise then India have plenty of players capable of cashing in on it, especially Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli.
Lokesh Rahul has stepped in as an opening partner to Sharma after India lost Shikhar Dhawan to injury which saw Rishabh Pant called in.
Kohli has credited MS Dhoni with being the best judge of a par score in world cricket and backed the veteran to keep making a difference for India after the triumph over the West Indies last time out.
India can still be caught by the chasing pack although they have a fair net run rate advantage, they can seal a place in the semi-finals with victory over England.
Edgbaston is a bit of a happy hunting ground for India of late. They have won their last two ODIs against England in Birmingham.
Verdict: India 82/100
India should have the firepower to put England under pressure.
