Sanju Samson, the wicket-keeper batter who was left out of India’s Cricket World Cup 2023 squad, has been generating a lot of discussion among fans and experts. Although he was a part of the Asia Cup 2023 squad as a back-up, he did not get a chance to play any matches and had to return before the final against Sri Lanka. During India’s practice match against the Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, a massive poster of Samson was displayed at the venue. Samson shared a picture of the poster on his social media accounts along with a heartfelt message for his teammates, saying, “With Team India @ Gods own country !!”
Unfortunately, the recent matches leading up to the World Cup have been heavily affected by rain. India’s game against the Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to torrential rain. Similarly, their scheduled match against defending champions England in Guwahati was also washed out. In total, three warm-up matches have been abandoned and three others have been affected by rain. This has left teams and players frustrated ahead of the tournament’s start on Thursday.
The Netherlands has also faced two washouts, including their match against Australia which ended without a result due to rain. However, the weather forecast for the upcoming matches in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Dharamsala is optimistic, with sunshine expected instead of showers.
It remains to be seen how the weather conditions will play out during the Cricket World Cup, and fans and players alike are hoping for better luck in the coming matches.
(With AFP inputs)