India cricketer Dinesh Karthik named three players to look for in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Karthik is backing India all-rounder Hardik Pandya to make a big impact in the tournament.
Hardik hasn't been at his best after recovering from a back injury. He had given up bowling after back surgery until the Sri Lanka tour and his batting isn't producing crucial runs in the lower order like it used to.
During an interview with Sky Sports broadcaster Isa Guha and former West Indies skipper Daren Sammy, Karthik was asked to name his pick of three players to watch out for at the T20 World Cup.
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“For me, Nicholas Pooran is someone who is special. When he finishes his career, he’ll be one of the T20 greats because o the way he bats. There’s something called bat swing, and he has probably got the best bat swing cricket. He could hit a cricket ball farther than most have ever done. He is a very, very important player if West Indies want to move forward in the tournament,” Karthik said.
“Mitchell Starc, if he comes, good for Australia. He’d be bowling those important overs for Australia upfront at the death. He has not been going too well, of late. But in the last series against West Indies, especially in the ODI format, he’s found his rhythm back. He has got the ball to come back in, and he has got people [out] with sheer pace. I am hoping that he holds onto that. Because if Australia has to do any damage in this tournament, he is going to be a key player,” he added.
Karthik said Hardik is a character who is always up for a fight, and hence, he could return to his old form in the tournament. “When you want to win big tournaments, you need characters, people who are up for a fight. For India, that [character] is Hardik Pandya for me."
"He is there with the ball, he is there with the bat, and he plays a critical role with the bat because every time India has floundered a little bit or want to up their run-rate, he is the guy. He can hit most bowlers to most parts of the ground… one of the reasons I really enjoy him. Even [with] his bowling, he is very clever; he is gone on to become the leader of the pack. You can see him talking to the other bowlers,” he said.
