Another must-win game for India

Their fate still not in their own hands, India will again go for broke when they resume their battle for survival in the T20 World Cup in another must-win contest, against Scotland in Dubai, UAE on Friday.

The pre-tournament favourites, the inaugural winners of the 2007 edition, are staring at an early exit following comprehensive defeats by Pakistan and New Zealand.

India registered a big win against Afghanistan on Wednesday but also need to win their last two Super 12 games while hoping other results go their way to help them reach the semi-finals. The situation remains do or die for Virat Kohli's band of superstars as they head into their fourth match.

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said yesterday that India are aiming to go out on a high in their last two Super 12 games without bothering too much about run-rate scenario or their semi-final chances,

"I think there are hardly any discussions with regards to that (semi-finals)," Ashwin told reporters on the eve of their penultimate Group Two match against Scotland in Dubai.

"The discussion we need to have is how we're going to go about the couple of games we have left, and everyone's planning and wanting to go (out) on a real high for the last two games.

"That is stuff that's not in our control. It's fingers crossed."

Pakistan have already made the semifinals with four straight wins and New Zealand are favoured to join the Men in Green in the last-four stage from Group 2. However, a loss for the Kiwis against either Namibia on Friday or Afghanistan next week, and India will have their tails up.

After their twin failures against arch-rivals Pakistan and bogey team New Zealand, the Indian batters struck form against an Afghanistan bowling attack considered pretty good by the cricket fraternity.

Days after the questionable move to demote him to number three, Rohit Sharma was back to where he belongs, and he showed his class in signs that are ominous for India's upcoming opponents in Scotland and Namibia.

Rohit did admit that some of the "decision making" wasn't correct and attributed it to the fatigue factor with the team being on the road for a least a week. As far as Scotland are concerned, wicketkeeper Matthew Cross was caught on the stump-mic during their match against New Zealand, reminding his fellow teammate and bowler Chris Greaves that the whole of India is backing him.

The Kiwis beat them by 16 runs but a shock win for Scotland would have made India's task lot easier.

At the Dubai International Stadium on Friday, it will be a different ball game, though.