‘We are fully focused on us, not the opposition’: Zimbabwe’s Evans on T20 WC clash against India

CHENNAI: Ahead of his side’s massive T20 World Cup clash against defending champions India, Zimbabwe allrounder Brad Evans said that the team is going to “leave everything out there” in the field after taking their lessons from a massive defeat at the hands of two-time champions West Indies in Mumbai.

Thursday’s double-header will play a crucial role in deciding Team India’s future in their own home World Cup, after their title defence landed into a massive trouble following a 76-run loss to South Africa at Ahmedabad, leaving their net run rate in negative.

Besides winning their own remaining two matches, they need South Africa to win both their remaining matches against West Indies and Zimbabwe. It would not be easy for the 2024 T20 WC champions and finalists to overcome WI in particular, who are still undefeated and posted a massive 254 against Zimbabwe at Wankhede Stadium. It is the second-highest total in the tournament history.

ज़िम्बाब्वे टीम ने इस तरह मनाया जीत का जश्न

◆ पाकिस्तान के ख़िलाफ़ T20 वर्ल्ड कप में Zimbabwe को कल ऐतिहासिक जीत मिली थी

◆ कल Zimbabwe ने पाकिस्तान को 1 रन से हराया था

(Source : Zimbabwe Cricket)#PAKvsZIM #T20worldcup22 #ICCT20WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/m7VPLOeQmj

— News24 (@news24tvchannel) October 28, 2022

Speaking about the match against India, Evans said that the focus is on themselves and not their opposition, and they will leave their everything on the field. “They are a great side. We are not too focused on them. We are focused on us. So, you know, we put our plans in place, and we have had the relevant conversations within our batting groups, our bowling groups and our fielding groups. And so, yeah, we are fully focused on us, not the opposition. We know they are one of the best sides in the world. So we are just going to leave everything out there”, he said.

The allrounder, who has taken 45 wickets in 29 T20Is for Zimbabwe at an average of 16.75 and scored 131 runs in 15 innings, said that despite their fine group stage campaign, which saw them beat Sri Lanka and Australia, he would not say that the team is “confident about beating India easily”

On the previous match against West Indies, which was a 107-run defeat, which heavily dented their net-run-rate, Evans admitted that for a lot of players, it was their first-ever game in India after playing out the tournament group stage in Sri Lanka.

“The last game did not go as planned. We came across a side which is experienced in these conditions, and a lot of squad members played their first game in India. But we stood up to the challenge. We were not good enough, but we have taken a lot on the board and learnt our lessons. Hopefully, in the game against India, we can put our best foot forward,” he said.

He also pointed out that there was not much dew in Mumbai during the second innings, but there is a “little bit” of it in Chennai, which could benefit the side chasing down the total. “We have got our plans to tackle it when it comes here,” he added.

On India’s top-order dominated by lefties Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, Evans, a right-arm pacer, admitted that he has plans for everyone. “I have got my plans for left-handers and right-handers and in the powerplay and in the death overs”, he concluded.

India squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson

Zimbabwe squad: Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Brian Bennett, Dion Myers, Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza(c), Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Ben Curran, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza. (ANI)