There is a lot of buzz around the India versus Pakistan clash in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The arch-rivals are slated to square off on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on the outskirts of New York, USA.
With barely a week remaining for the marquee encounter, former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly opined that although India have a superior team, Pakistan will present a formidable challenge in the shortest format of the game.
"Our record against Pakistan has been very, very good over a long period of time. In the T20 format, probably Pakistan is more dangerous compared to 50-overs (format). We beat them in Ahmedabad when they came to India and we beat them easily.
"India is superior and if they play well, if they play freely and I keep saying the word 'freely' all the time because (in) the last World Cup in Australia, I don't think we played freely," Ganguly said while speaking at an event in Mumbai on Saturday (June 1).
"Just put all the cobwebs behind. Don't worry about winning or losing. Don't think about winning the World Cup. Just go and play every game," he added.
Historically, India have dominated Pakistan in T20 World Cups, with the latter securing victory only once in seven games.
On India's prospects, Ganguly said the Men in Blue a strong possibility to win the T20 World Cup and they should play with freedom.
The USA and the West Indies will co-host the showpiece tournament, slated to get underway on Saturday (June 1).
"India have very good chances in the World Cup. India will have to play like a T20 team. There is enormous talent," Ganguly stated.
"...play without fear and just keep hitting. There is enormous talent, (this is) a team which has (Virat) Kohli, Rohit (Sharma), Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), (Rishabh) Pant, (Shivam) Dubey, (Hardik) Pandya, (Ravindra) Jadeja, Axar (Patel), (Jasprit) Bumrah, Sanju (Samson)."
"That's why I say everyone is capable of winning it for India and the only way they will do it is (if they) just play with freedom. Play with that extra batsman and hit from the first ball, hit till you have to defend (and) play like the last ball," he further remarked.
Team India face a slight dilemma regarding the opening combination heading into the T20 World Cup 2024. While Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma would provide a left-right opening combo, there is a school of thought that IPL 2024 Orange Cap winner Virat Kohli should partner the Indian captain at the top.
Ganguly is also among the experts who wants to see Kohli opening the innings with Rohit during the mega event.
"It is Virat and Rohit, both should open. Virat has been in tremendous touch in the IPL, he is a great player," he said.
The former Indian captain expects the drop-in pitches used in the USA World Cup leg to be batting-friendly.
"I am very keen to see how the conditions are in the US. (The Nassau County Cricket Stadium is a) new ground, new stadium. I know there have been drop in pitches from Adelaide. The ICC has spent a lot of money to bring in the drop-in pitches to America," he said.
"(The) drop-in pitches are normally very good, very batting friendly. And they don't change much over a period of time because they are different from natural pitches. So we are expecting the pitches to be very good," he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
