Former England spinner Graeme Swann showered rich praise on Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team after they crushed India by 10 wickets in their first game in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021; saying Pakistan is a very dangerous team and could easily win the trophy by winning all their games.
On Sunday, October 24, Pakistan defeated India for the first time in a World Cup match while it was a big upset for the Indian cricket team, but Swann feels this defeat may give Men in Blue a real kick and help them find an edge for the long run in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Swann told Cricket.com: “Sometimes it’s good to get hammered at the start of the tournament because it feels like a real kick at the backside. The IPL is played just now, everyone saying India are the favorites, a bit of lethargy can creep into a team. Maybe India will find their edge because of this defeat.”
Analyzing Shaheen Afridi’s spell, he noted: “When you chase a total in T20s, it’s five times easier. You know when to take risks and you can pace your innings accordingly. They didn’t have to take any risk. Those two early wickets of Rohit and Rahul, let’s just face it, those two were unbelievable deliveries. Swinging in at more than 90 mph, pitching on off stump, and hitting the top of the middle. That was almost an unplayable delivery and then Rohit to face that yorker on the first delivery. That won the game for Pakistan.”
The Englishman was highly impressed by Mohammad Rizwan (55-ball 79*) and Babar Azam (52-ball 68*) batting against India. He said, “Babar at the minute is different gravy with the bat. For ages in England, we kept saying why Joe Root is not part of the famous big three. I mean, you have Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith and then it became the big four.”
Swann signed off by saying, “Now Pakistan fans would say hang on a minute… I saw him score a century at Edgbaston. Oh my word, he is a seriously good player. And his partner at the other end, little Rizzy, he can bat as well. Pakistan could easily win this tournament by winning all their games by 10 wickets or lose all their remaining matches, that’s how they go. They are a dangerous, dangerous team.”
