India v England live World T20 2012

It is a rivalry that has had plenty of meaning in recent months but tomorrow’s match in its strict context holds no value.

England face India in the last Group A match to be played even though both teams have already progressed into the Super Eights by virtue of beating Afghanistan.

India registered a 23-run win in the first match but not before they were tested by Afghanistan. Their batsmen did not get the kind of freedom they had hoped to enjoy and only Virat Kohli was able to truly free his arms.

Kohli will once again be the key as he has had a dream year so far being the leading run scorer for the team.

Laksmipathy Balaji picked up three wickets with the ball but it was Zaheer Khan who received praise from MS Dhoni at the press conference with the captain terming the fast bowler ‘Sachin Tendulkar’ of the bowling attack.

Zaheer was expensive in his three overs against Afghanistan but England is one opposition that he likes bowling to.

England, the defending champions, were ruthless in their treatment of Afghanistan, strolling to an easy 116-run victory.

Luke Wright played the innings of his life and remained unbeaten on 99 before the bowlers peppered the opponents with short-pitched bowling.

Short bowling is likely to be deployed once again after the weakness was seen to be successfully exploited against India by other teams in the previous two editions of ICC World Twenty20.

Colombo’s overcast conditions could also make things interesting with either side needing to be prepared for a rain-shortened game.

England and India have come head to head in ICC World T20 earlier before as well.

In 2007, Yuvraj Singh smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in one over while in 2009 the bouncers exposed the Indian batsmen’s weakness. The match will start at 7.30pm local time.