T20 World Cup, India vs Pakistan: Preview, stats, and more
India and Pakistan are set to face each other in the fourth Super 12 match of the 2021 T20 World Cup. This is the mother of all battles and we expect a cracking battle between two T20I heavyweights. Both India and Pakistan have won the T20 World Cup on one occasion each. Here we present the complete match preview.
Here is the head-to-head record
India have beaten Pakistan on all five occasions in the T20 WC. The first-ever encounter between the two sides (T20 WC) resulted in bowl-out, which India won. Notably, the match was originally tied. The two sides also met in the final of that edition in Johannesburg. India claimed one-sided victories against them in 2012 (8 wickets), 2014 (7 wickets), and 2016 (6 wickets).
India go into the match as the favorites
India won both their warm-up matches against England and Australia respectively. What mattered was the nature of these wins. However, this is a different ball game altogether and India will be hoping to keep the basics right. India will need to find the right balance and take things from there. The Men in Blue have a balanced squad and that's massive.
Pakistan will want the perfect start
Pakistan need the perfect start under skipper Babar Azam. The Men in Green won one and lost one in the warm-up matches. A lot will rely on Babar, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Hafeez with the bat. Shaheen Afridi holds the card for Pakistan with the ball. Pakistan will hope to produce the goods against an in-form Indian side.
Here are the top performers
Virat Kohli has 777 runs in the T20 World Cup in 16 matches. He can become just the fourth batter with 800-plus runs. He is also aiming to become the third batter with 75-plus fours. KL Rahul is set to play his 50th T20I. He has scored 1,557 T20I runs. Jasprit Bumrah (59 wickets) and Shadab Khan (58) will be crucial with the ball.
Key details about the match
The match will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It will begin at 7:30 PM IST. The wicket here turned out to be lucrative for the batters. In the IPL final between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, the match aggregate was 357. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on Disney+ Hotstar.
Why does it matter?
This is the India versus Pakistan clash and is a step above the rest. With both teams not playing bilateral cricket, the meetings in ICC events mean a lot. The rivalry is at another level and there is a lot of pressure on players. Not to forget the responsibility that is associated with everyone concerned. The world will be watching this blockbuster affair.
