Maximising the batting Powerplay will be crucial for determining the winner of the high-stakes India-Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup in Colombo, said former Australia captain Aaron Finch. The last time these two teams met, India defeated Pakistan thrice, including in the final, to win the Asia Cup in the UAE.
Defending champions India are currently Group A toppers and ahead of Pakistan on Net Run Rate. They arrive in Colombo after beating Namibia by 93 runs, with Ishan Kishan’s 61 helping them collect 86 runs in the Powerplay — the highest total in the six-over phase of this competition.
“Yes, particularly in Sri Lanka, where the wickets are a bit slower, they’re turning more. You have to maximise those first six overs. So, we saw Ishan and
Sanju get off to a flyer the other night.
“You understand the importance of getting off to a flyer because it can be harder to score through the middle overs and then towards the backend. So, wickets in hand are absolutely crucial, and a batter set in there is absolutely crucial as well. Guys who walk to the crease will find it hard to hit boundaries early on in their innings.
“It’s just the way that the game is played. It’s slightly different in these conditions compared to, say, Arun Jaitley Stadium, for example, which is small and batters can just stand there and clear the ropes with ease. This will take some tactical thinking, and the teams that adapt quickest generally have success in those conditions.
“So, India have got plenty of experience. They’ve got left and right-hand combinations. They’ve got guys that can play slightly different tempos and different roles, as do Pakistan. So, I can’t wait for this game,” Finch was quoted as saying to IANS at JioStar Media Day.
Finch, who captained Australia to the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup win, predicted Pakistan’s spinners would pose a significant challenge to India’s batters, requiring a shift in approach from batting-friendly conditions back home.
“When you come to Colombo, you have to change your thought process a little bit compared to what you might (have) in India, where the grounds are smaller. The wickets are generally marginally flatter for batting, particularly through the middle overs. So, we saw in Australia’s win over Ireland that was 22 twos that they ran. They put pressure on in a different way.”
“So, you just have to change your mindset slightly. You probably have to target your specific match-up as opposed to just trying to target every bowler because any mishits, you’re caught, you’re out because there’s so much space, there’s so big a boundary,” he added.
Left And Right To Counter Spin?
However, Finch expressed confidence in India’s ability to handle the challenge, citing their balance and experience. “They’ll be fine, as they’ve got a lot of experience in that team – a nice mix of left and right-handers, which is important as well. You don’t want to get too locked down with either two right-handers or two left-handers at the crease, where teams can exploit that with the ball spinning away. So, India have got all the bases covered.”
Abhishek ‘Superstar’ Sharma
He also praised India’s left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma as a “superstar” and hoped for his fitness in time for the clash on Sunday. “I think any team that has Abhishek Sharma in it is going to be better in T20 cricket. He’s a superstar, and his ability to destroy an attack from ball one and continue to keep going in a way that not many other players in the world, if any, can match it with him.
“He’s a super player. So, as soon as he’s well enough, and I really hope that he is, because I love watching him play, and it was unfortunate to see that he spent some time in hospital unwell. So, I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Mystery Bowler Factor
Citing Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus’ impressive four-wicket haul against India, Finch felt someone like Pakistan’s Usman Tariq could pose similar problems to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side.
“In terms of the spin threat of Pakistan and Erasmus — almost the sidearm type of spin bowlers, there’s plenty of upside. The way that they’ve been able to defend themselves, for one, has been really impressive. Erasmus, four wickets against India — that was really a special performance when the ball was flying around the park.
“So, there’s certainly a place for spinners like that. The game keeps evolving. People and players have to keep finding ways to be successful. From that point of view, I’m all for it. I think, guys, as long as it’s within the laws of the game, don’t feel off,” he added.
(With inputs from Agencies)
