Mumbai: He redefined swing and pace, made the ball talk during his prime. Though Zaheer Khan — former India speedster — hung up his international boots, world tournament discussions still turn him on. Zaheer, a member of the 50-over World Cup (WC) winning squad in 2011, believes India will clinch the forthcoming ICC World T20.
“I am sure India will come out with flying colours, to win the T20 World Cup,” said Zaheer, at an ICC event here on Monday.
“Home crowd is an added advantage, it is added pressure too but it is exciting as well,” said the 37-year-old who picked up 21 wickets from nine games in WC 2011.
Zaheer only featured in 17 T20 internationals, with same number of wickets under his belt, but he lauded the format for bringing in more spectators the ground.
“T20 is like the first 15 overs in an ODI match and the last five. It has added excitement to the game making the sport dynamic. The batsmen are trying new things these days. Overall, it is a different approach to cricket,” added Zaheer, who turned up for Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2015.
However, being a World Cup and Test specialist, he stressed on the importance of being fit.
“World Cup, for any athlete, is special. One doesn’t know whether he is going to be available for the next tournament. But playing in known conditions is definitely an advantage,” said Zaheer.
Zaheer Khan at an ICC event in Mumbai on Monday. (Photo: PTI)
With spinning tracks, will it totally tilt the tournament towards the hosts?
“That depends, but if you are a good player of spin, it will come handy,” he concluded.
