Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has backed all-rounder Hardik Pandya to win the Most Valuable Player award in the T20 World Cup. Pandya scored a blistering knock of 42 runs off just 17 balls in the fifth T20I against New Zealand on Saturday.

The right-hander smashed one four and four sixes in his whirlwind knock as he scored his runs at a strike rate of 247.06 and played a key role in helping India post a mammoth total of 271 runs on the board.

Pandya was in fantastic form in the T20I series against South Africa. He scored 142 runs in three innings at an average of 71 and a blistering strike rate of 186.84.

Chopra also backed India as the favorites for the T20 World Cup. Team India are the defending champions of the tournament as they had defeated South Africa in the last edition.

Aakash Chopra said on ESPN Cricinfo, “So far T20 cricket is the only format where you couldn’t possibly predict a firm favorite in advance because the margins have been really thin. But, when you look at this Indian team and their performances over the last two and a half years… This team is an upgraded version of the team that won the World Cup.”

“There is history that tells us that it’s not easy. It has never been done. No team has defended the crown. No team has actually won at home. So home advantage does not matter in this format. But yes, if you were to just look at the personnel, this is the strongest team in the tournament.”

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on February 7.