With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup starting October 17th, all eyes are on the October 24th showdown between India and Pakistan in Dubai. Former opener Gautam Gambhir suggests that India is far better equipped for the tournament than Pakistan, though he believes Afghanistan will be a surprising and impactful competitor.
ICC men’s T20 World cup begins on 17th October. India will play Pakistan in their first encounter on 24th October at the Dubai stadium. Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir reckons that India will play the T20 World cup as a ‘far superior’ team than arch-rivals Pakistan. He added that Afghanistan will be a team to watch out and they will make a good impact in the tournament.
Reflecting on his match-winning performance in the 2007 World T20 final, Gautam Gambhir pointed out that Pakistan often buckles under the weight of expectation, especially since they've never managed to defeat India in this specific ICC format. He argues that India is superior across the board—from their batting lineup to their bowling attack and fielding. Still, Gambhir admits that T20s are unpredictable and any team can win on a given day. He believes Afghanistan, spearheaded by the elite spinner Rashid Khan, has the potential to pull off some massive upsets.
Gambhir added that any team can beat the other since the T20 is an individual kind of format and the match can turn either way. Afghanistan led by Rashid Khan can create big upsets. Rashid Khan is a World-class spinner who can win matches single-handedly.
The presence of IPL stars has transformed Afghanistan into a competitive squad capable of challenging the top teams. While Gambhir sees them as the tournament's underdogs, he insists that players like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, and Mohammad Shahzad are far too talented to be overlooked.
Gambhir has labeled Group I as the 'Group of Death,' citing the brutal combination of Australia, South Africa, England, and the West Indies. He noted that the West Indies, as defending champions, remain a powerhouse in the T20 format.