Rajkumar Sharma, India skipper Virat Kohli’s childhood coach, on Saturday said that team India is a better team than Pakistan, but the men in blue shouldn’t take their neighbours lightly ahead of the high-voltage clash in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.
The Sunday evening’s blockbuster match will see the Dubai International Stadium house one of the most historic and mouth-watering fixtures in cricketing history as team India lock horns with arch-nemesis Pakistan in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.
Rajkumar Sharma Warns India Not To Be Complacent Or Over Confident Against Pakistan In T20I WC
Ahead of that, Rajkumar Sharma said India doesn’t need to be complacent or over-confident because Pakistan is a team that can surprise anyone.
“The match between India and Pakistan is always exciting, as there are many nerves included. India has always defeated Pakistan in World Cup and I hope the same result comes tomorrow,” Rajkumar Sharma said.
“Even if you look team-wise, India is a lot better team if compared to Pakistan. But India doesn’t need to be complacent or over-confident because Pakistan is such a team that can surprise anyone.”
Pakistan has never beaten India at a World Cup but most recently, beat the Indian team in the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017. Both India (2007) and Pakistan (2009) are former champions in the World T20 and have played plenty of cricket in UAE thanks to IPL and PSL.
India-Pakistan faced each other last in the 2019 ODI World Cup round-robin stage, where the former won by 89 runs (DLS method). Their last T20 World Cup face-off resulted in India’s 6-wicket win over Men in Green in Kolkata in the 2016 edition.
Rajkumar Sharma Backs India’s Bowling To Come Good In The WC
Virat Kohli has scored 169 runs from three innings against arch-rivals. 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.
Talking about the form of Indian skipper, his childhood coach said: “Virat from the beginning has a habit of accepting such challenges as he enjoys it. Pakistan hasn’t even got him out in T20 World Cup. He will continue his form and will be more relaxed and determined. As he has left captaincy and will be eager to win World Cup for India.”
Rajkumar Sharma also backed India’s bowling ahead of the Super 12s stage.
He said: “When the proper combination will play, the pressure will come from both sides. The Indian bowling attack is looking very good to me and they will also do great in the upcoming tournament.”
Besides Mohammed Shami (3/40), fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah (1/26) and spinner Rahul Chahar (1/43) were also among wickets at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai against England, but the pace duo was rested against Australia. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled 2 overs and finished with figures of 2/8 during India’s T20 World Cup warm-up match against Australia. All four spinners played in the match against Australia.
While Rahul Chahar finished with 1/17 from his 3 overs, Ravindra Jadeja was taken for 35 runs in his 4 overs, and he picked up one wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin bowled 2 overs and finished with figures of 2/8, while Varun Chakravarthy was tried in the death overs, where he went for 23 runs in 2 overs.