Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has named the on-field battle between Jasprit Bumrah and Babar Azam is going to be the contest to watch out for in India versus Pakistan T20 World Cup match a swell. Notably, India and Pakistan will begin their T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE by playing against each other in a much-awaited game on October 24 in Dubai.
However, India has never lost to Pakistan in a T20 World Cup match. While speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt has opined that the Bumrah vs Babar contest will be a tough one.
“Fingers crossed. It will be a tough contest. Both the batsman and the bowler are top-class performers. They are quite experienced as well. Bumrah has slightly more experience but Babar too has been playing international cricket for quite a while. He is also the captain of the team. So he has to show others the way,” Salman Butt said.
“Babar Azam will open the batting for Pakistan” – Salman Butt
According to Salman Butt, Babar Azam will open the batting for Pakistan whereas Bumrah will do the same with the ball for India as well and the Babar-Bumrah battle will certainly take place.
The former Pakistan player again added: “It will be a really exciting tussle. Bumrah vs Babar will be one of the contests to watch out for in the India-Pakistan World Cup clash. They are bound to come face-to-face because Babar is likely to open the batting and Bumrah is going to bowl at him. Let’s see what happens on the big day.”
However, analyzing Pakistan’s chances in the marquee event, Butt shared that the team could see success depending on how their fast bowlers perform. Meanwhile, Pakistan is placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, and India as well.
He explained: “Pakistan’s fast bowlers will have to perform well. We are heavily dependent on the fast bowling department. There is Shaheen (Afridi), Hasan (Ali), Mohammad Wasim Jnr could also play. So yes, a lot will hinge on the performance of the fast bowlers. If our pacers perform well, Pakistan are more likely to win a game. If Pakistan’s fast bowlers have an off day, it becomes very difficult for the team to win. So, they will have to stand up to the challenge.”
“Shaheen is very good and has been performing well for a while now. Also, since Hasan has played a season of first-class cricket, he is a much-improved bowler. He has made a strong return to the side. There are very high hopes from them,” Salman Butt concluded.
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