Mumbai : England all-rounder Sam Curran has said his side is fully geared up for Thursday’s semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against defending champions India at the Wankhede Stadium, describing the contest as “a really cracking game.”
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Curran emphasised England’s ability to adjust to varying conditions and expressed confidence ahead of the crucial clash. “Sri Lankan conditions favoured spin more. It’s about adapting to what’s in front of you. I’ve got great memories of playing India in a semi-final. We’ve had a strong World Cup as a unit,” he said.
Acknowledging India’s formidable squad, Curran maintained that England have their own strategies in place. “We know India have a fantastic line-up, but we’ve worked on our plans. It should be a cracking contest,” he noted.
On Indian opener Abhishek Sharma’s lean run — the left-hander has scored 80 runs in six innings, including a half-century against Zimbabwe — Curran remarked with a smile, “I hope he doesn’t come good against us.”
Reflecting on England’s campaign, the 27-year-old credited their familiarity with Indian conditions, particularly through experience in the IPL, as a key advantage. “We play a lot of cricket in India, so we understand the conditions well. Both teams have tremendous depth in batting. We’re not concerned about the form of openers — they’re quality players and can fire at any time,” he added.
England head into the semi-final unbeaten in the Super Eight stage, boasting a powerful batting line-up featuring Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, skipper Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell. With the ball, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton and Curran have played vital roles, while Will Jacks has matched Shane Watson’s 2012 record with four Player of the Match awards in a single edition. Adil Rashid leads England’s wicket charts with 11 scalps, followed by Archer and Liam Dawson with 10 each.
Curran reiterated the team’s focus on delivering in the knockout fixture. “Hopefully Thursday goes our way. At this stage, it’s about who performs better on the day,” he said.
With India and England set to meet in their third straight Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final, a high-voltage encounter awaits in Mumbai on Thursday.