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'I will watch India's match against New Zealand with no tension -- just enjoy the cricket.'
Fans waiting outside the ICC Cricket Academy on Friday, February 28 night, while the Indian team trained may have felt like they were at a shooting range.
The aggressive shots played by some Indian batters sounded almost like gunshots.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant repeatedly threatened the glass windows of the ICC Academy's indoor hall and the small, glass-enclosed commentary box.
The primary task of the security personnel around the academy was to frequently shout "Watch out!" as shots were launched out of the ground with immense power.
"Pant seems to be batting with a vengeance to get into the playing XI," a journalist remarked, as the media often had to run for cover to avoid being hit.
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India's middle-order batter, Shreyas Iyer, never likes to sit idle.
After a long net session, he asked a few local cricketers to bowl to him outside the nets. He is often the last player to leave the training area.
No wonder he has scored 59, 44, 78, and 56 in his recent matches for India. His relentless hunger to keep batting is inspiring.
Former Indian batter-turned-coach Pravin Amre, who spotted Iyer early in his career, once told this reporter: "Iyer's devotion to the game and dedication to excel are what makes him stand out. His consistency in domestic and international cricket is the result of the hard work he puts in during training."
Iyer made full use of the practice session on Friday and returned virtually exhausted -- but with a smile.
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Team India's Assistant Coach Ryan ten Doeschate is more familiar with UAE conditions than most of the Indian players.
His last T20 International for The Netherlands was in Abu Dhabi in 2021, and he has played numerous matches at the ICC Academy ground, where the Indian team was practicing.
He also coached the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the Emirates Cricket Board's DP World ILT20 event.
On Friday night, ten Doeschate spoke to the media at the ICC Academy.
Given his deep knowledge of UAE pitches -- perhaps even greater than that of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir -- he said: "It could be very well be a spin contest. Both India and New Zealand have some quality spinners. Coming into the competition, we weren't expecting such an over-reliance on spin. But the guys have bowled well, and the pitch has helped a little bit; so I'm sure it's going to be the same for the next game here."
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Since both India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semifinals, an Indian fan who secured tickets for the match shared his thoughts: "I watched the India-Pakistan match with a lot of tension because I wanted my country to win. But I will watch India's match against New Zealand with no tension -- just enjoy the cricket."
Most Indian fans are eager to watch New Zealand's Indian-origin batter Rachin Ravindra.
After scoring a century against Bangladesh in this edition of the Champions Trophy, he expressed his gratitude to the fans: "I'm extremely grateful for the love and support from everyone. I've been showered with so much care and love, and it truly makes me happy knowing how many people care about me. I'm very grateful to everyone who has reached out and shown their support. Thank you for that."
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com