New Delhi: Across the board, former players gathered for a pre-World Twenty20 conclave here were on Monday unanimous that India go into the ICC tournament as the raging hot favourites.
Former captains of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Sourav Ganguly, Inzamam-ul Haq and Sanath Jayasuriya, besides former India stars V.V.S. Laxman and Virender Sehwag said the hosts would be the team to beat in the March 8-April 6 tournament that gets under way at Nagpur on the morrow.
Talent, experience. leadership and balance gave India the edge, was the unanimous opinion at the Aaj Tak Salaam Cricket conclave. “The Indian team are ruthless and playing consistent cricket. They have match-winning players and good finishers that gives them an advantage over the others,” Laxman said.
Jayasuriya pointed out that India had benefited over the years as the IPL has helped it groom players and prepare younger cricketers to step up as
and when older players retired. The Nawab of Najafgarh, Virender Sehwag, had no doubt about the outcome of the tournament. “India have a 99 per cent chance of winning the T20 World Cup.
“I say this because India today have one of world’s best batting and bowling line ups and are ready for any challenge,” he said, predicting the hosts could face either South Africa or the West Indies in the final. Ganguly and Inzamam felt India had emerged as a formidable combination. For Ganguly, it was the exposure to all formats that had helped in building a strong team, while his former counterpart said Pakistan had been hobbled by a lack of international cricket. “But it only takes one good match for a turnaround.
Pakistan are not as good as India at the moment but they can surely bounce back,” Inzamam added. Sehwag backed Dhoni to bat higher up the order, as the skipper showed in the Asia Cup final at Dhaka on Sunday. “If he bats at number four, it is good for the team. He knows when to slow down or accelerate,” Sehwag said.
