India cricket team will renew its rivalry with Pakistan as the two arch-rivals lock horns in the T20 World Cup tie at New York on Sunday. Rohit Sharma and co. will be eyeing to keep their winning momentum going, having started off the campaign on a victorious note. On the other hand, Babar Azam and co. were in for a shock after losing their tournament opener to the USA in an embarrassing fashion.
Why India shouldn’t take Pakistan lightly?
Despite being poised as the stronger side in the tie, India cannot afford to take Pakistan lightly. Currently, the Men in Green’s batting seems to be all over the place, with the top and the middle order failing to fire – both in the powerplay and in crucial junctures of the match. The last time Pakistan beat India was in the T20 World Cup in 2021 following which they were silenced by a Virat Kohli masterclass at the MCG in the edition in 2022.
Moreover, the surface at the Nassau County International Cricket stadium is better suited for the Pakistan bowlers than the Indian ones. The uneven bounce, movement and unpredictable nature of the surface will favour the likes of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi. Although the trio couldn’t get going in the first game against USA, they will be a dangerous combo that India will have to watch out for.
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Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has not managed to find his touch so far in the shortest format of the game, despite putting some commendable performances in the series against Ireland and England. Along with Rizwan, the duo can turn out to be a menace for the Indian bowlers and can single-handedly pile up misery on the opposition.
Pakistan’s middle-order batters, including Fakhar Zaman, Ifthikar Ahmed and Azam Khan, will hold the key to power the team to a sizeable total or across the line in case of a run-chase.
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