Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t want Pakistan to be in the summit clash of the T20 World Cup. India registered a comprehensive 61-run win against Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday.
Ashwin said India is two continents ahead of Pakistan in T20Is. India has a potent team and Pakistan was not able to challenge the Men in Blue. Team India posted an above-par score of 175 runs on the board, whereas Pakistan was skittled out for 114.
Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “I hope Pakistan doesn’t come into the final because this is a comprehensive loss for them. If they come in the final, maybe Pakistan might get their tactics slightly better. I don’t want an India-Pakistan clash in the final. I will take anybody else in the semis or final and don’t want Pakistan in the knockouts. On a given day and on a neutral platform, India are one or two continents ahead of Pakistan in white-ball cricket.”
The former off-spinner said 175 was like 250 on a tricky Colombo pitch after Ishan Kishan scored a blistering knock of 77 runs off just 40 balls.
“Since Pakistan had loaded their team with spinners, I felt this was their best chance. The way Saim Ayub’s and Salman Ali Agha’s deliveries troubled Indian batters, I felt 175 was 250 on this pitch. I have an uncle, who messaged me ‘174 is Babar Azam’s Aile’. I wondered what game they were watching. It’s a follow-on enforcing wicket. If follow-on has to be enforced in T20Is, this is the right pitch. It could’ve been enforced if 20 more runs were there. Pakistan were so much in trouble that they couldn’t handle the pressure. When Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan were five or six down. But left-arm spinner is a match-up for you but he defended both deliveries and was beaten once. If you play T20 cricket with such intent, it is very difficult.”
The former astute spinner said Pakistan’s veteran batter Babar Azam hasn’t made any improvements to his game in the last couple of years.
“If you look at Babar Azam’s defence against Jasprit Bumrah, he hasn’t made a change even after Pakistan losing a year or two ago. The game in USA saw him push at a delivery from Bumrah and got out. It was the same in this game as he played to third man and commentary said it was a typical Babar Azam glide. But no, you will be dismissed if played that way every time. Pakistan is not tactically better and they don’t have the raw materials to challenge India. Plenty of runs will come if played on a flatter surface. I don’t know how it will be on turning wickets. Leave aside the rivalry. It is nice to have a game between them but India is miles ahead. India is a couple of continents ahead currently.”
India will next take on the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
