ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Veteran Indian cricketer and commentator Dinesh Karthik has heaped praises on India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Karthik reckons Hardik Pandya can take a game away from the opposition in just a split second.
The presence of senior Pandya will be the key for India as Virat Kohli and his men look to end 14 years drought of the T20 trophy. India won the inaugural season of the T20 World Cup under MS Dhoni back in 2007 and since then it has been just a journey with no title.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 will begin on 17th October in the UAE and Oman. The matches of Super 12s are slated to begin on 23rd October. India will play its T20 World Cup 2021 opening game against arch-rivals Pakistan on 24th October.
Speaking on Star Sports, Dinesh Karthik stated that ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya could be an X factor for the Indian team in the showpiece event.
“Hardik Pandya bats at No 6, he has a job to do every time he comes in, he has the potential to take the game away in the whiff of a breath, that’s how good he is,” said Dinesh Karthik in Star Sports show ‘Game Plan.’
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“With the ball, he is very good with it, he is very handy, he can bowl at 85-87 mph, but also mix in the slower ones. Over the period of time, he has shown the mind what’s between your ears they say to be very strong, very calculated and he is somebody who can come and deliver on slow wickets very well, and that’s one of his strengths, so I am looking forward to him as a gun fielder as well.”
Hardik Pandya has been a standout all-rounder for India ever since he made his international debut. From winning some mighty close contest to turning the flow of the game in just a matter of a few minutes, he has been sensational.
He has been in and out of the team in the recent past owing to his injury and that has also affected his performances. In the recent India tour of Sri Lanka, Hardik got fine initial starts but failed to convert them to big scores.
Pandya will be keen on bouncing back once again with a bang. The upcoming IPL 2021 will be important for him as the selection of the World Cup is at stake.
Team India favourites to win the T20 World Cup: Dinesh Karthik
Karthik further added that India will be the favourite to win the illustrious T20 title and the team has all the boxes covered to lift the coveted trophy. The players are highly experienced as far as T20 cricket is concerned and are also well aware of the surface in the UAE.
“Every guy there has played 150, if not 200 T20 matches, which should give them enough data to take from every time they had a big moment, and that’s what you require; experience to handle those big moments and hence I have no doubt that they will qualify to the semi-finals,” Dinesh Karthik added.
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