India will face Ireland in their opening match on June 5 in New York.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 1 to 29 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).
BCCI announced a 15-member squad for the tournament and named Rohit Sharma as the skipper. Kaif also reckoned that Rohit will also get a chance to make amends after India lost the ODI World Cup final against Australia last year at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“Rohit Sharma knows that he won’t be playing for long, maybe for the next 2 to 3 years. Virat Kohli is also on the same path. It’s a big opportunity for Rohit as a captain. He lost the ODI World Cup final after the match was in India’s hands. He was broken, and fans were heartbroken. Despite winning 10 matches, India lost 1 match. I hope the situation isn’t the same in the T20 World Cup. It is only about a couple of big days,” Kaif said on Star Sports.
Kaif believes that India will have it relatively easy in the league stage before facing strong competition in the semi-finals and finals. Kaif also believes that the dynamics of playing in a T20 World Cup differ significantly from those of playing in the Indian Premier League.
“They do not have competition in the league stage. There are only 2 main matches, the semi-final and the final and you lose only big matches. It’s not the IPL where you will get 14 chances to make a comeback; it’s only about a couple of big days and whether you are ready for the days as well.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would be extra motivated. They would know that their future is uncertain. It’s a time when the players are in form, having played in the IPL. And I believe that it’s a great chance for them to rectify the mistakes they made against Australia,” Kaif added.
India will face Ireland in their opening match on June 5 in New York.