SOUTHAMPTON: The scoreboard may need as much preparation and care as the wicket ahead of Saturday’s anticipated run-fest when India seek to follow title-rivals England by thumping Afghanistan in their World Cup game at the Rose Bowl.

India and England remain the bookmakers’ favourites to contest the July 14 final at Lord’s. That’s despite unbeaten New Zealand and a resurgent Australia, who have lost only once against India in six games.

India will be aiming to give a proper run to their new-look batting unit. Opener Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the tournament, leaving K.L. Rahul to be permanent partner for in-form Rohit Sharma at the top of the order.

Sharma has scores of 122 not out, 57 and 140 in three matches thus far, while Virat Kohli — with 177 runs — will be aiming to register his first three-figure score of this tournament.

Attacking wicket-keeper/batsman Rishabh Pant has been drafted in to the 15-man squad as cover for Dhawan, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be including in the starting XI.

All-rounder Vijay Shankar made an impact with his bowling on World Cup debut in the win over arch-rivals Pakistan last Sunday, but he didn’t bat at No. 4 at Old Trafford. The jury is still out on his batting impact, and team management may be tempted to pick Pant.

Shankar was also hit on the toe by paceman Jasprit Bumrah during practice on Wednesday, and that also makes him a doubtful starter.

“Personally, I have got a lot better and hopefully I will,” play, Shankar said on Friday. “Making my debut against Pakistan gave me a lot of confidence. It was a very special thing for me, performing under pressure and coming out good.”

If it’s any consolation for Afghanistan’s batsmen, they will be facing a changed India bowling line-up. Mohammed Shami will be partnering Bumrah with the new ball after Bhuvneshwar Kumar was sidelined for a minimum two games because of a hamstring strain. Shami led India’s attack at the 2015 World Cup but hasn’t played an ODI cricket since March.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Ravindra Jadeja and veteran backup wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik are the two other players in the India squad without any game time at the tournament, but that isn’t expected to change.

India are unbeaten so far and have already had wins over defending champions Australia, South Africa and Pakistan after being the last team to get their campaign started. They also picked up a point from a washed-out game against New Zealand.

Whether batting or bowling first, Afghanistan will find the going tough against 2011 champions India, arguably one of the pre-tournament favourites. Having lost all five games, the Afghans are still recovering from the hammering against England in Manchester.

England tallied 397-6, the highest total of the tournament so far and the sixth-highest ever at a World Cup. Eoin Morgan smashed a world record 17 sixes in his 71-ball 148, posting the fourth-fastest World Cup century in the process.

He was particularly harsh against Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who conceded a World Cup-record 110 runs off his bowling.

But Rashid, who entered the World Cup as one of the top-ranked bowlers in limited-overs cricket, isn’t likely to be deterred.

“Every player has faced such tough days. So it was one bad day for Rashid,” Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib said. “He is not an easy bowler to pick. We know because we play him regularly in the nets. Credit goes to England, they played him very well.”

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne rated England as the best team against spin at this tournament, but India is the team most likely to challenge that.

If they bat first, India will likely be targeting Afghanistan for the biggest total of the tournament so far. The highest World Cup total is 417-6 by Australia against Afghanistan in Perth enroute to the title in 2015. India are second with 413-5 against Bermuda in 2007.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2019