England are approaching Thursday's T20 World Cup semi-final against India with a fearless mindset, according to all-rounder Sam Curran. Despite facing a daunting opponent in a hostile environment at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, Curran described the fixture as 'a dream' and 'a brilliant opportunity'.
England have a mixed record at the venue this tournament, having narrowly beaten Nepal and lost to West Indies. India, meanwhile, boast a formidable home record, with captain Suryakumar Yadav averaging 63.42 at the ground and Jasprit Bumrah's economy rate of 5.61 placing him in a league of his own. England's last visit to Mumbai ended in a 150-run defeat, their worst in T20 history.
Despite these statistics, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Harry Brook have fostered a positive atmosphere. Curran noted that the team has drawn confidence from winning games from difficult positions. 'Baz and Brooky are very positive people and they’re just keeping the group nice and calm,' he said.
The pitch, used for England's match against West Indies three weeks ago, favoured spinners then, but Curran expects it to play differently now. 'I’d be very surprised if it’s a low-scoring, turning pitch,' he said, predicting a high-scoring game that will suit England's seamers.
Curran acknowledged the challenge of silencing a sold-out crowd of 33,000 but framed it as an opportunity. 'If the crowd are silent, England are probably going to be doing well,' he said. 'We’re hugely confident. There’s going to be no secrets... it’s just on the night who handles the occasion and adapts the quickest.'
