Kolkata: With the India-Pakistan game at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 just two days away, multiple speculations about who will line-up for Team India and what the outcome of the match is going to be seem to be the major talk-points.
Team India arrived Australia a couple of weeks ago to assess the conditions ahead of the Super 12 stages of the tournament. With different weather, pitch conditions and dynamics to stadiums compared to the ones in India, both teams will have to get their tactics spot on at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With over 100,000 fans rooting for both teams at the MCG, the campaign opener will be a showdown for the ages.
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show ‘Game Plan’, former Australia cricketer Tom Moody spoke on the match-up between India and Pakistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, he said, “I think it’s an intriguing contest, because to me, India are a batting strong side while Pakistan, I think, are a bowling strong side. So, for me it’s a real contest as to how well India bat against a very strong new ball attack. If they get through that, I see India controlling the game. But that’s where they need to manage – in the first six overs. Now, we know its T20, we know its Power Play, we also know that if we want to get off to a flyer, we have to manage that carefully. So, I’m not saying you need to be conservative, you need to be watchful.”
Moody also spoke about how both teams will have to be tactfully aware of playing at the MCG, he said, “I think there’s one thing you need to take into consideration of the pitch. The pitch at The Gabba is a bouncy one. Is it going to be the same at the MCG? I wouldn’t take it for granted that it would be the same as The Gabba. Another thing to take into consideration is the big boundaries.
Yes, there will be big boundaries at the MCG, we know that. It’s a big venue, so the short ball and the use of that length, hard length, with that change of pace into that length, is the key to bowling at the MCG. So, I’m sure that both teams are very aware of what the tactical play is with the ball in those top end overs and particularly in those defensive overs.”
Moody further spoke about who the three pacers for India will be and what confidence Mohammed Shami will be taking into the match against Pakistan “I’d be going with Shami. I’d just go with his experience."
"Obviously, Bhuvi and Arshdeep are the first two. I just think that in big tournaments, you back big players. And he’s a big player with a lot of experience. He may be short with some volume in his bowling, but that one over he bowled against Australia would have gone a long way with regards to not so much the physical side of things, but definitely the mental side of things,” he added. (UNI)
