Australia and South Africa are facing challenging travel logistics due to security concerns in Pakistan, necessitating a trip to Dubai. Neither team will know their semifinal venue until after India’s match against New Zealand on Sunday. As they await their fate, players express concerns regarding the impact of travel on their training and performance.
Due to ongoing security issues in Pakistan, India has opted to play all its matches in Dubai. Consequently, both Australia and South Africa must travel to Dubai and await the outcome of Sunday’s match to determine which team will return to Lahore for the second semifinal. BBC reported that “Group B concludes with South Africa’s match against England on Saturday but neither the Proteas or Australia will know the venue for their semifinal until after the conclusion of India’s match against New Zealand on Sunday.”
The delay in traveling until the fixtures are confirmed means Australia and South Africa risk missing essential training opportunities in Dubai, as India will have completed all their group matches there. As the report states, “Were they (Australia and South Africa) to wait until Monday and only travel when the fixtures were confirmed, that would rule out the possibility of training in Dubai.”
Players from both teams have expressed concerns regarding the travel logistics. For instance, South African batsman Rassie van der Dussen and former Australian captain Pat Cummins have highlighted India’s favorable position, having played all their matches at a single venue while others have had to contend with multiple travel arrangements.
It is likely that Australia will require a three-hour flight from Lahore to Dubai on Saturday and return to Pakistan by Monday if they do not qualify to meet India in the semifinal. Similarly, South Africa will fly to Dubai early on Sunday after their match with England and could return to Pakistan within a day if they also do not face India in the knockout round.
The team finishing second in Group A will face the winner of Group B, and conversely, the second-place team from Group B will play against the winner from Group A. Regardless of their group placement, India is set to play their knockout match in Dubai on Tuesday.
In conclusion, Australia and South Africa are faced with complex travel plans due to security issues in Pakistan and the need to await match outcomes. The logistical challenges have raised concerns among players about the need for adequate training facilities. Ultimately, how these teams navigate the travel may impact their performance in the semifinals. The outcome of the upcoming match between India and New Zealand will be critical in determining the final arrangements for both teams.
Original Source: m.economictimes.com
