Battle of Experience versus Spirit

India meets United Arab Emirates on Saturday (February 28) and like any other match between a test nation and associate, the test nation will start as favourite. But having seem the matches involving associates in the last two weeks, the test nations may start as favourite but it is not going to be very easy. 

UAE, in its two matches had posted decent score on the board and pushed its opponents closer in defending and ended up on the losing side. India, on the other hand posted formidable scores on the board and decimated their opposition in defense of their total. UAE may have the spirit to compete, but so far they have come across a test nation that is in revival mode and just trying to show some promise and an associate that is as equal as them but for the experience. India is not the same as either of those two side, with all respect to them. But with the form that it is in currently in, it would be much difficult for UAE to stretch them, unless it is really an off day for India.

Without any doubt, UAE will have to raise their game when it meets India. In spite of the skill and spirit, they lack experience, an area which could be exploited by India. Their coach Auqib Javed has played against India a lot, may be not the current team but must have been following the current players. So his inputs would come handy but finally execution lies with the players on the field. India can also not relax. Two points tomorrow would mean that it would make its position on the top of the pool more comfortable. UAE is a team, that has shown that they can raise their bar to compete, whether that bar is good enough or not is a different story.

UAE has no reason to change their composition that they fielded against Ireland. Everyone had been contributing. Their batting line up is among runs and they bat deep. They will have to raise the standard of the fielding and have to bowl well in the death overs.

For India, Mohammad Shami is not available. Either Stuart Binny or Bhuvaneshwar Kumar could come in. Rohit Sharma is the only batsman in the top order who is not among runs and can see the modest attack as a chance to be among runs. MS might rest a batsman in the middle order and bring in Rayudu.

India has met UAE twice in the past, in 1994 and 2004 and both the times India won it. India would like to bat first tomorrow and dismiss the opposition to a lower total to boost their NRR further.