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(From left) Shivam Dube, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya (AP/AFP)
India and Pakistan have made contrasting starts to their respective T20 World Cup campaigns but it will count for nothing when the two rivals square off in what is expected to be a thrilling contest.
The Indian team has enough power-hitters in their batting line-up which gives them the edge over Pakistan ahead of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 clash, feels former England cricketer Mark Ramprakash.
India and Pakistan will lock horns at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday in what is expected to be a nail-biter.
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Ramprakash says both India and Pakistan have classy players in Virat Kohli and Babar Azam who are capable of playing the traditional innings. However, where India are ahead is in the power-hitting department as they have multiple options in Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube while Pakistan only have Fakhar Zaman.
“In Babar Azam and Virat Kohli both sides have players of absolute world class who can come in and play a more traditional type of innings,” Ramprakash wrote in his column for The Guardian. “Where India look to have the edge is in power hitting, with Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube all high-class options. Pakistan looked poor in their two recent games in England and even worse against the USA, and need others to support Fakhar Zaman with that style of play.”
With the pitch in New York inviting scrutiny, Ramprakash hopes the surface will allow for a good contest.
He also feels that by taking Azam Khan, Pakistan have taken a risk considering his poor T20I average.
In his last five innings, Azam has managed 59 runs including back-to-back ducks.
“They have taken a risk on Azam Khan, who has an international T20 average of only 8.80 but brings potentially useful – if not in this particular match – experience from the Caribbean Premier League,” he wrote.
“Whether his game will be suited to a quick New York pitch that requires lightning reactions is for Pakistan to consider; the way Mark Wood dismissed him at the Oval last week, with a fast bouncer into the body, suggests he may struggle,” he added.
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