Why is Dawid Malan not playing today’s T20 World Cup 2022 semi final between India and England at Adelaide Oval?

England captain Jos Buttler has won the toss and chose to bowl in the second semi-final of ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval. Yet to play their best game in this World Cup, England have had to make a couple of forced changes to their Playing XI.

“We’re gonna bowl first. There is going to be a great atmosphere here. Dimensions are different. We will have to adapt. Looks a good wicket. Hope it stays well the whole game,” Buttler told the broadcaster at the toss.

Following all-rounder Ben Stokes, Buttler also brought to light the comparatively smaller side boundaries at this venue. Playing only their second Adelaide T20I, no member of the current English squad has ever played a T20I here.

Unlike Buttler, India captain Rohit Sharma was looking to bat first in a knockout match. Hence, remained unaffected at the prospect of losing a toss.

“We would have batted first anyway. We’ve played some good cricket, another opportunity for us to play the same way we have all tournament. Important to hold the nerve and take the game till the end,” Sharma told the broadcaster at the toss. Although having played only two and one T20I respectively in Adelaide in the past, readers must note that both India and England are yet to lose an Adelaide T20I.

Why is Dawid Malan not playing today vs India?

Facing a couple of injury scares since their last Super 12 match against Sri Lanka in Sydney on Saturday, England will be taking the field without batter Dawid Malan (groin injury) and fast bowler Mark Wood (muscle stiffness) tonight.

As a result, batter Phil Salt and pacer Chris Jordan will be playing their first match of the tournament on Thursday. Salt, 26, had played the last of his 19 white-ball matches for England during the tour of Pakistan last month. Playing his 12th T20I, Salt will be batting at No. 3 for the first time in his career.

Jordan, meanwhile, is an experienced campaigner especially in the shortest format. Playing his first match since second Australia vs England T20I almost a month ago, Jordan will be seen resuming his death-bowling role alongside all-rounder Sam Curran in this match.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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