The Super 12 match between India and Scotland on Friday is extremely important. The outcome of the India against Scotland game, like the game against Afghanistan two days ago, will determine whether the Men in Blue advance to the T20 World Cup semi-finals. Of course, there are still games with significantly greater stakes that might affect India's prospects, but first and foremost, let's look at and preview India's fourth World Cup match-up.
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For starters, Scotland should not be underestimated. They put up a spirited fight against New Zealand, losing by only 16 runs, and the Scottish squad has the ability to create an upset, as they did in the qualifiers against Bangladesh. However, a victory will not be sufficient for India to complete the task. They defeated Afghanistan by a mammoth 66-run margin, bringing their net run-rate back to positive territory, but they'll need another large win over Scotland to restore their NRR, which has been seriously damaged by defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand.
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India has two games left, and all they need to do to keep their hopes alive is win by large scores. When the BlackCaps take against Afghanistan on Sunday, it will be the deciding factor in all of the calculations. The Afghans will play not just for India, but also for themselves, since a win over the Kiwis will keep them alive in the tournament. A loss, on the other hand, will be the end for both India and Afghanistan.
The victory over Afghanistan was encouraging, but India still has a few major obstacles to overcome. To begin, they must defeat Scotland emphatically on Virat Kohli's birthday, which is today and if Afghanistan defeats New Zealand on Sunday and India defeats Scotland, the Indians will know precisely what they are up against Namibia in their final league game on Monday.