Veteran Pakistan batsman Salman Butt has suggested the Pakistan team focus on strengthening their own side rather than depending on India being tired or focusing on the other teams ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 later this year in the UAE and Oman.
The Indian cricket team has been in England for over three months now – from June for the WTC 2021 Final against New Zealand – and now playing a five-match Test series against England.
After the Test series in England ends on September 14, Indian players will take part in the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021), resuming on September 19 in the UAE before returning to national duty for the T20 World Cup 2021 from 17 October – 14 November.
Given the hectic schedule and the bio-bubble life, many including Pakistan cricketers believe that Team India could be tired by the time the T20 World Cup begins, but former Pakistan captain rejected the noise by saying the Indian players will not be coming on foot from England to get tired.
Butt said on his YouTube channel: “They (India) don’t have to come on foot from England, that they will get tired reaching the UAE. The IPL starts next week. They are attuned to playing more cricket. Don’t depend on the other team being tired. Focus on strengthening yourself so that even if the other team comes at full strength, we will be able to beat them, we will be able to give them a tough time.”
The batsman also believes that India will certainly have a plan to manage the workload of players to avoid burnout during the IPL 2021 ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021.
He concluded, “I am sure their think-tank would have thought about all this and would have made necessary preparations. They would have a plan on how to go about during the IPL, because, obviously, the T20 World Cup is scheduled after the IPL. That will be part of the list of their top preferences.”
