ICC World T20 winning former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has called on the Men in Blue to concentrate on winning their upcoming T20 World Cup matches rather than worrying about net-run-rate, ahead of
their must-win clash against Zimbabwe. He also suggested skipper Suryakumar Yadav could bat at number three to provide balance to a left-hand-heavy top order.
India’s title defence has hit a precarious stage. After a record 76-run defeat of South Africa – their biggest margin in T20 World Cup history – the defending champions are now reliant on South Africa remaining unbeaten for India to have any chance of progressing, alongside victories over Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
If that scenario fails, net-run-rate will come into play. But with the West Indies boasting a net-run-rate above +5 and South Africa over +3, India’s negative net-run-rate makes it highly unlikely they can catch up. Any slip-up by the Proteas could spell the end of India’s campaign.
Speaking on JioStar’s Follow the Blues, Pathan said, “I really hope that approach of playing for net run-rate does not come into play at the start of the game. The priority should be winning the game first. So, perform well and try to win. Only then should you think about the run-rate. If you start thinking about chasing the net run-rate of, say, the West Indies, that is almost impossible. That would mean beating teams like Zimbabwe and the West Indies by a margin of 100 runs, which is not easy in T20 cricket. So, I sincerely hope that when the Indian team plays these next two matches, the main focus is simply on winning first.”
India’s top order has been dominated by left-handers, with Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma leading the charge. While Ishan has found some form, Abhishek has struggled, scoring just 15 runs in four innings, including three ducks. Tilak has 107 runs from five innings but a strike rate of just over 118, falling short of India’s usual explosive T20 style. Both Abhishek and Ishan have found off-spin challenging.
Pathan explained the conservative approach adopted by Yadav, whose strike rate in the mid-130s reflects caution in the absence of reliable support from the top order. Yet he believes the skipper could still move up to number three to inject balance and disrupt the left-hand dominance.
“I think Surya can bat at number three. From the team’s perspective, I understand the conservative approach, especially because Abhishek has been getting out early. In the last game, Ishan Kishan got out in the first over. You do not want to expose Suryakumar Yadav at number three when he is so effective in the middle overs, striking at 160. If something goes wrong with the new ball, just one good delivery can get him out. So, I understand the thinking. However, they still need to consider batting Suryakumar Yadav at number three to break the monotony of having three left-handers at the top.”
