T20 World Cup 2021 | Will try and replicate 2017 Champions Trophy final, says Hasan Ali on India-Pakistan T20 WC game
Hasan Ali had starred with 3/19 in Pakistan's 2017 Champions Trophy final win against India
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While Hasan Ali admitted that playing against India is always a pressure game, he is hopeful of his team replicating the 2017 Champions Trophy final heroics against the arch-rivals, at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021. The two teams will face-off in a Super 12 encounter on October 24 in Dubai.
While the T20 World Cup 2021, jointly hosted by the UAE and Oman, will commence on October 17, arguably, the most awaited game will be the one featuring arch-rivals India and Pakistan in a Super 12 fixture in Dubai ,a week later.
Till date, India have a 100% win record against Pakistan in both ODI and T20 World Cups, with seven and five wins respectively. The Champions Trophy results stand 3-2 in Pakistan’s favour.
Hasan Ali, the Pakistan speedster, reminisced his side’s win in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against Virat Kohli’s men, and aims to do a repeat next month. Ali was the leading-wicket taker in the tournament, with 13 scalps at a staggering 14.69 from five games, including 3/19 in the final.
“When we won the Champions Trophy (in 2017), it was a very good time for us and we will try to beat them again in the T20 World Cup. We will give our best. Playing against India is always a pressure game because of the expectations of fans from both countries,” Ali said in a virtual media conference on Wednesday, September 15.
Ali further emphasized on the magnitude of the game, and believed that the team is well equipped for the UAE conditions.
“Even those people who don’t normally watch cricket follow the India vs Pakistan matches, so the pressure on the players is high but we will give it our best. We know how to bowl in those conditions but yes you can see all teams have picked many spinners in their squads.,” mentioned Hasan Ali.
Ali also expressed his disappointment over the recent resignation of Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis from the head-coach and bowling-coach positions respectively, with the marquee event not far away. He now looks forward to working with Vernon Philander, who has been appointed as the team’s bowling consultant for the tournament.
“Honestly speaking, I was disappointed because the World Cup was coming and such a change happened and they left,” he said. “But it is not our domain as a player and this is something for the Pakistan Cricket Board and others to handle. Our job is to perform and try to win matches for Pakistan.
 “We all know that Philander is a great bowler and he has performed at the top level. We are looking forward to working with him but it is too early to say how much benefit we can get from him as this will only be clear once he joins the squad.”
