Afghanistan and New Zealand will clash in a must-win game for both sides in Group 2 of the Super 12s round of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 on November 7, 2021, and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar says this might become the most-watched match of the tournament.
Mohammad Nabi's Afghanistan and Kane Williamson's New Zealand will clash in Abu Dhabi in a very important match for not only these two teams but also for India, as the Men in Blue’s faith hangs in balance on the victor of this encounter.
If New Zealand wins this match, India will be eliminated from the race of the semi-finals. But if, Afghanistan wins, India needs to just beat Namibia in their final league game to make it into the semis leaving both New Zealand and Afghanistan behind on NRR.
Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said that the match will be followed keenly not just by Indians but people from across the sub-continent.
"I won't be surprised at all. Everybody knows that how crucial his match is for India's qualification. It is going to be watched by millions, perhaps even greater than the India-Pakistan game," Gavaskar said.
"For the simple reason that most people in the subcontinent will be watching. People in Afghanistan will be watching. They all know India's chances of qualifying depends on this game. So I won't be surprised if it's the most-watched game in the World Cup maybe apart from India-Pakistan and the final," he added.
Ashish Nehra suggests Jasprit Bumrah's name for India's T20I captaincy after Virat Kohli
The little master also opined that though the pressure would be on both the teams, Kane Williamson and the Black Caps are better equipped to handle the pressure than the young Afghan players.
New Zealand has showcased remarkable consistency in the recent ICC tournaments as they reached the final of the World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and also went on to win the World Test Championship, beating India in the final earlier this year.
"How they cope with pressure is going to be key. In recent times, New Zealand have shown us they can cope with pressure very well. We saw that in the World Cup finals, they had a bit of bad luck. In the World Test Championships final as well, they kept their cool. Clearly, Kane Williamson's leadership is going to be the key. If he can hold the innings together, then New Zealand will give themselves a fair chance," Gavaskar added.
(India Today)
