Pakistani pacer Hasan Ali expects his side to defy the odds and register a monumental win over Virat Kohli-led Team India in the upcoming edition of the ICC World T20. Pakistan and India will resume their epic rivalry in the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to get underway from October 17 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
Though Pakistan are yet to register their first win over arch-rivals India in World Cup events, Ali is optimistic about the Babar Azam-led side breaking the deadlock in the 2021 edition of the showpiece event. The Pakistan speedster opined that the Azam-led side has the potential to upstage India at the ICC World T20. The pace ace of the Green Army also took a trip down the memory lane and recalled Pakistan’s stunning win over India in 2017.
Despite starting as favourites in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, Team India was outclassed by Pakistan in the 2017 summit clash. Speaking on the YouTube channel of Paktv.tv, Ali said that the conditions in the UAE can benefit spinners. “The 2017 final was a good time and we will try to beat India again. There is a lot of pressure and there is a lot of viewership. We will try to win the match by any which way. The conditions in UAE are spinner-friendly. But a fast bowler who bowls with variations can still be effective,” Ali said.
The two former champions and bitter-rivals had recently named their star-studded squads for the ICC T20 World Cup. While Pakistan snubbed former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed from the World Cup squad, Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan and spin wizard Yuzvendra Chahal were not named in the 15-member squad of the Virat Kohli-led side.
Days after Pakistan announced its squad for the World Cup, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja was unanimously elected as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). PCB also named Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander as coaches of the Pakistan side after Raja took over as the board’s chairman.
Hayden and Philander were appointed as batting and bowling coaches after former head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis had resigned from their respective posts ahead of the T20 World Cup. Ali also expressed his disappointment after the former coaches parted ways from the Pakistani national team.
“It was disappointed to see the coaching staff changed with the T20 World Cup coming up. But this is not our domain, it is the domain of the PCB. Our role is to perform. Vicky Bhai (Waqar Younis) is my role model and I started to bowl because of him,” Ali added.
