Gautam Gambhir, a former Indian cricketer, said that Team India are firm favourites to win their upcoming T20 World Cup 2021 clash against Pakistan on Sunday, October 24, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Gautam Gambhir, who retired back in December 2018, said that external factors won’t affect Virat Kohli and Co. going into the marquee clash.
India and Pakistan have faced each other five times in the T20 World Cup, and the Men in Blue have come out trumps every other time. The last time the two teams met was in 2016 when Virat Kohli’s knock took India over the line at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Gautam Gambhir: Nothing Will Impact India’s Performance
In fact, in the T20I World Cups, Virat Kohli has scored 169 runs from three innings against the arch-rivals Pakistan. In all those three innings, he remained unbeaten. 78* off 61 balls (2012), 36* off 32 balls (2014), and 55* off 37 balls (2016) were his scores against Pakistan in the T20I World Cups.
Virat Kohli has been India’s highest run-getter against Pakistan in T20Is. He has scored 254 runs from six innings at 84.66 with two fifty-plus scores and a strike rate of 118.6.
“My best wishes are with the team. They have performed well till now. They will surely win. I have full confidence in them. The team is doing great. Nothing will impact their performance. The team will play well and will win,” Gautam Gambhir was quoted as saying.
Prior to the much-awaited game, the Pakistan cricket fraternity and their players have dropped in several comments. However, Gautam Gambhir reckoned that Virat Kohli’s men are less likely to pay heed to the remarks.
“Pakistan always says like this. If India plays with the same potential then we can win over any country,” Gautam Gambhir stated.
India will be going into the contest after back-to-back wins against England and Australia in the warm-ups at the ICC Academy Ground. In both games, they chased down targets in a comprehensive manner. Pakistan, on the other hand, started with a win over the West Indies. Then, however, they slumped to a defeat against South Africa after Hasan Ali leaked 22 runs off the final over. India has never beaten Pakistan in World Cups regardless of the format.
Gautam Gambhir Wants Nobody To Sleep With An Empty Stomach
The Delhi-born Gautam Gambhir also had a few words to say about Jan Rasoi, an initiative he set up to serve healthy and nutritious food to poor people.
“I want nobody to sleep empty stomach. With that idea, I am come up with Jan Rasoi. From each centre we are feeding around 4,000 people. I want to open more such centres so that we can feed more needy people,” Gambhir added.
Rassie van der Dussen got an emphatic ton that resulted in South Africa clinching a last-ball thriller against Pakistan. Chasing a stiff 186, South Africa was kept in the chase largely by Rassie van der Dussen, and with 19 needed off the final over, he helped them over the finish line and struck fours off the last two balls from Hasan Ali. David Miller, too hit a crucial six in the final over before Rassie van der Dussen registered his ton off the final ball of the match.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 186/6 (Fakhar Zaman 52; Kagiso Rabada 3-28) lost to South Africa 190/4 (Rassie van der Dussen 101*, Temba Bavuma 46) by six wickets.
Against England in their first warm-up game, chasing a target of 189, India reached 192 for three in 19 overs. KL Rahul smashed 51 off 24 deliveries, and Ishan Kishan retired after playing a knock of 70 runs off 46 balls.
In their second warm-up game, India thumped Australia by nine wickets with Rohit Sharma (60 retired off 40), KL Rahul (39 off 31), and Suryakumar Yadav (38), all getting some runs under their belts as India chased down Australia’s 152 for five in 17.5 overs.