India’s struggle in the mega tournaments has not been hidden from the world and ahead of the blockbuster T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq opined that the team is lacking behind in finishing strong in the last few years at the ICC events while hailing the current team as “skillful” with “powerful bowling lineup”. In last year’s ODI World Cup, India remained unbeaten in the tournament until bowing down against Australia in the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India have not won any ICC title since the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni. They missed out on World Test Championship triumphs on two occasions in the span of three years. In the last edition of the T20 World Cup, Men in Blue faced a defeat at the hands of England in the semifinal to end their campaign.
Former Pakistan batter credited India’s current pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami while also praising the quality of Indian cricket.
“It’s a different Indian team now, a skilful team with a very powerful bowling lineup. The batting has always been strong, but the quality of their fast bowling has really elevated their game. With bowlers like Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, and the all-round abilities of Hardik Pandya, the quality of Indian cricket has increased significantly. Their ability to handle pressure has improved too,” Misbah said during Star Sports Press Room show.
“Playing so much cricket gives them exposure and boosts their confidence. To break this, opposing teams need to make a lot of effort, which is a difficult task. Look at Australia, for instance. They overcome most of these hurdles with their strong mental attitude. As big matches and pressure situations arise, they manage to stay composed,” he added.
