Several cricket experts considered Team India favourites to lift the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, currently going on in UAE and Oman. But the humiliating 10-wicket-loss to Pakistan in their opening game might have forced some to reconsider their predictions.
Former English spinner Graeme Swann however, looks at the loss differently. According to him, such a big loss at the very start of the tournament might actually be good for the Men in Blue.
In a chat with Cricket.com, Swann said, “Sometimes it’s good to get hammered at the start of the tournament because it feels like a real kick at the backside. The IPL being played just now, everyone saying India are the favourites, a bit of lethargy can creep into a team. Maybe India will find their edge because of this defeat.”
Another remark made by Swann was about the feasibility of chasing a target batting second which is 5 times easier than putting up a total in T20 format. He believes that when you chase in T20s, you know when to take risks and you can pace your innings accordingly. The Pakistani batters did not have to take any risks in the game according to him.
India could only muster 151 runs in their 20 overs which were easily chased down by Pakistan by 10 wickets with 13 balls to spare. Mohammad Rizwan made 79 off 55 balls whereas captain Babar Azam scored 68 off 52 in the historical first-ever win of Pakistan over India in a World Cup game across formats.
