Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has expressed confidence in the national team ahead of the much awaited T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan on February 15. Describing the contest as one of the biggest matches of the tournament, he said Pakistan would find it extremely difficult to overcome a strong and balanced Indian side.
Ganguly, who closely follows India Pakistan encounters, said such games always carry immense pressure and excitement. According to him, India currently looks like a well settled unit with match winners in almost every department. He added that the defending champions have the ability to handle big occasions better than most teams.
The former Board of Control for Cricket in India president also named his favourite players from the present squad. He praised young opener Abhishek Sharma, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, captain Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan for their recent performances and impact on the team.
His comments came after the Pakistan government officially cleared its team to participate in the fixture against India. Islamabad had earlier announced a boycott in support of Bangladesh, which was removed from the tournament over security related issues. Following talks between the Pakistan Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the decision was reversed and the match was confirmed.
Ganguly also spoke about the overall quality of the ongoing World Cup, saying the competition has been impressive so far. He noted that even associate nations such as Netherlands, Scotland and Nepal have shown fighting spirit, making the event more competitive.
India began their campaign with a convincing 29 run victory over the United States, where captain Suryakumar Yadav played a match winning innings of 84 not out. The team is currently preparing in Delhi for its next group match against Namibia on February 12 before travelling to Colombo for the marquee contest with Pakistan. The final league game will be played against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18.
The Indian squad for the tournament includes a mix of youth and experience with Suryakumar Yadav leading a side featuring Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar among others.
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