Rain, Rain, Go Away, Team India Wants to Play! 

The past few days in Florida have been dominated by rain and the forecast for the coming days doesn’t look promising either. This weather has already impacted the tournament, with a washed out match between Sri Lanka and Nepal. With three more games yet to be played at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, cricket fans are keeping their fingers crossed for bright and sunny days. And honestly, we still aren’t ready to read the words wash-out and abandoned. IYKYK

Having won all three matches so far, India have already secured a place in the Super 8, while Canada, on the other hand, finds itself in a precarious position. They need to win their match against India and rely on other results to go their way – a daunting task given India's current form.

About Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida

The Central Broward Regional Park Stadium has an interesting history and some notable facts. The highest score at this venue is 245 for 6, achieved by the West Indies in 2016, a game which also saw centuries from Evin Lewis and KL Rahul. Conversely, the lowest total recorded here is 81 by New Zealand against Sri Lanka in 2010. The pitch is considered a batters’ paradise, a stark distinction from the New York stadium. The surface tends to grip slightly in the second innings, giving bowlers some assistance, but rest assured, there will be boundaries galore. 

This is reflected in the fact that teams batting first have won 11 out of the 16 games played at this venue, making the toss, once again, quite crucial.

India’s run at Lauderhill

India have played eight games at this venue, winning five, losing two, and one abandoned. 

Our tryst with Lauderhill began in 2016 against the West Indies. They posted a mammoth total of 245 runs, and while we responded strongly, with Rohit Sharma scoring 62 and KL Rahul hitting a stunning 110, we fell short by just one run. 

The second match of that series was marred by a technical glitch and was eventually abandoned due to rain.

From 2019, India started a winning streak at this venue, securing five consecutive victories up to the first T20I in 2023 against the Windies. However, they lost their most recent game here in 2023 while facing the West Indies.

Team India’s Strengths and Weaknesses

As India head into their final league game, their strengths are clear. 

A formidable bowling attack headlined by pacers Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya has been effective so far. The return to form for Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube is another positive for the side.

However, India is not without concerns. The form of their key batters, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, has been patchy. Ravindra Jadeja has also had limited opportunities and was dismissed for a first-ball duck against Pakistan. 

India’s journey in the tournament so far has been impressive, and they will be looking to continue their winning streak despite the challenges posed by the weather Gods and their opponents.