T20 World Cup 2021 | Pakistan should be fearless against India, says Javed Miandad

10/14/2021

Javed Miandad has stated that Pakistan should play without fear and pressure against India in their most awaited T20 World Cup opener on October 24. The former Pakistan cricketer further added that everyone in the team should put their best effort to defeat India in their opening fixture.

India and Pakistan will face off against each other in the T20 World Cup on October 24 in Dubai. The highly-anticipated match will be the first meeting between the neighbors since the 2019 ODI World Cup, in which the Men in Blue outplayed Pakistan. The Babar Azam-led side will be eyeing his team’s first T20 World Cup victory against India.

Meanwhile, Javed Miandad reckoned that Pakistan should play without fear regardless of the pressure in order to defeat India in their opening fixture.

"The match against India will be crucial to getting momentum in the tournament. They are a strong side and have several top players but if we can play without fear and pressure and everyone does his bit we can beat them," Miandad said during an interview on GEO TV.

Speaking on the winning formula against India, Miandad stated that the Babar Azam-led side should put forward a collective effort to win the fixture. The former Pakistan cricketer further added that a crucial catch or a run-out can change the course of the game in T20 cricket.

"T20 format is one where people think that one or two players can win you matches but I look at it this way that in this format everyone needs to contribute in some way or the other for a team to be a winning outfit," Miandad said.

"In this format even a small innings of 20 or a crucial catch or run-out or a good over can win you matches so everyone has to put in his bit. This format is about a collective effort from the team," he said.

Javed Miandad, who featured in 124 Tests and 233 ODIs for Pakistan further stated that in T20 cricket, a batsman should wait for the right ball and execute his plan.

"You shouldn't try to go bang bang all the time, it is about waiting for the right ball and moment to execute your plans," he explained

Ahead of their opening fixture in the T20 World Cup, Pakistan will play two warm matches against West Indies and South Africa respectively.