As the Super 12 round of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 has already begun in the UAE, predictions and analysis from experts have started to come in about favourites to lift the trophy and other aspects of the team. Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh too has thrown his hat into the prediction’s game and has opined that India has a good chance of winning the World Cup but also cautioned that there can be upsets owing to the unpredictability of the format.
“The whole team needs to perform. Then only you can win the title. I feel India has a great T20 side but the T20 format is very unpredictable. One session of five overs can take away the game,” Yuvraj said in an interview to The Times Of India.
The southpaw played an integral role in India title-winning campaign in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s leadership. He further lauded the team balance by comparing the depth in India’s batting to that of IPL team Mumbai Indians. Notably, MI is the most successful team in IPL winning the title the most number of 5 times.
According to Yuvraj, the Indian side also has all-rounders with a left-right combination in the lower middle-order just like MI have Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, and Kieron Pollard. He believes that the presence of Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya in those positions make India a strong side.
“I feel Team India has the same depth as Mumbai Indians. They have 5,6,7 and 8 as allrounders. The left-right combinations. Hardik, Krunal, Pollard are there. They have depth in their batting. They have allrounders. We do have a side like that. If you look at Jadeja, Hardik, and Rishabh, we have a strong side. New guys are also coming in. We have a strong batting lineup. We have all-rounders. We have a strong batting lineup till number 8 and we have a mix of extra bowlers," the 39-year-old further said.
The two-time World Champion is confident about India’s chances as they have a strong batting lineup till number 8 and have a mix of extra bowlers. While Yuvraj might be right about the batting depth, Hardik Pandya’s inability to bowl can be a cause of concern for the Virat Kohli-led side.
India will start their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 at the Dubai International stadium. The game will be live from 7:30 pm on Sunday.
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