India will face Pakistan in their opening match on Sunday.
Team India have sent four of their net bowlers, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Krishnappa Gowtham, and Venkatesh Iyer, back to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, starting on November 4, 2021.
The bowlers have already reached India to join their respective states ahead of the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. They were in the UAE since the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) and asked to stay there to help Team India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
However, the Indian cricket team will have Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, and Lukman Meriwalla as other net bowlers to help the side during practice sessions in the T20 World Cup 2021, with the BCCI asking the four fast bowlers to stay back in the UAE.
A senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity: “Yes, there won't be too many net sessions once the tournament starts. The national selectors feel that all the spinners especially would benefit if they go back and play Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for their respective states.”
He added, “They need match practice. Also in this heat with optional practice, we won't need so many spinners.”
Noteworthy, Indian team mentor MS Dhoni was seen helping the three throwdown experts—Raghendra, Nuwan, and Dayanand—at practice. India will face Pakistan in their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday, October 24, in Dubai.
(With PTI Inputs)