After the India vs Oman match, fielding coach T Dilip spoke about Axar Patel’s injury. Patel hurt his neck while trying to defend India’s score during Oman’s 2nd innings.
With India set to face Pakistan in the Super 4, Dilip said the team is ready but won’t treat the game any differently than others.
Patel’s injury happened when he tried to catch a ball from Hammad Mirza. He initially juggled the ball, dropped it and then hit his head on the ground. The team physio escorted him off the field and he didn’t return for the rest of the innings. Earlier in the game he bowled one over and gave away 4 runs. He also batted and scored 26 off 13 balls.
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In the post match press conference Dilip said, I saw Axar and he seems okay right now. It’s not clear if he will play against Pakistan as India has a quick turnaround.
India’s Super 4 starts with a rematch against Pakistan. In their previous game India won by 7 wickets. After that game there was some controversy when India didn’t shake hands with the Pakistan team. Pakistan also complained about the post match presentation. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint against the match referee Andy Pycroft but the International Cricket Council rejected it. There were even threats of a boycott from Pakistan which delayed the UAE game by an hour.
Despite all the off field drama Dilip said India will approach the Pakistan game like any other. He said, Everyone is ready for the Pakistan game. We treat every game the same. It’s just another game and we are prepared for it. The team wants to stay focused and not let external factors affect their performance. They know the importance of the game but they are determined to treat it with the same level of preparation and focus as any other game in the tournament. This way they can manage the pressure and play to their full potential. The coaching staff is working to ensure the players are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges ahead, focusing on strategy, skill execution and positive mindset.
