Former Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, does not want India to clash against Pakistan in the finals or semi-finals of this ICC T20 World Cup, despite admitting that India are two continents ahead of their archrivals in white-ball cricket.
In recent times, especially in the shortest format of the game, the India vs Pakistan contest has often been snubbed from being a rivalry due to the one-sided dominance shown by the Indian team. The India vs Pakistan head-to-head now has a margin of 8-1 in T20 World Cups.
However, Ravichandran Ashwin has a very different thought and a positive one from Pakistan’s point of view. He feels India should not again face Pakistan in the knockouts. Though his thought could have also emerged from the idea that under such circumstances the India knockout game has to be shifted to Sri Lanka.
“I will take anybody else in the semis or final and don’t want Pakistan in the knockouts” – Ravichandran Ashwin
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin asserted that he does not want to see the defending champions facing their archrivals once again in the knockouts of the competition.
“I hope Pakistan doesn’t come into the final because this is a comprehensive loss for them. If they come in the final, maybe Pakistan might get their tactics slightly better. I don’t want an India-Pakistan clash in the final,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
However, though Ashwin himself said that the Indian team is two continents ahead of Pakistan in white-ball competitions, he feels that a final against Pakistan is just not something he would choose for the Men in Blue.
“I will take anybody else in the semis or final and don’t want Pakistan in the knockouts. On a given day and on a neutral platform, India are one or two continents ahead of Pakistan in white-ball cricket,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.
“I felt 175 was 250 on this pitch,” Ashwin opined on the runs on the Premadasa pitch
Much like everyone, Ashwin went on to claim that the 175-run total seemed perfect on this slow track at the Premadasa. And the slowness of the pitch propelled the score to look very high, to refer to which he jokingly remarked, saying that had there been 20 runs more, they could have enforced a follow-on.
“Since Pakistan had loaded their team with spinners, I felt this was their best chance. The way Saim Ayub’s and Salman Ali Agha’s deliveries troubled Indian batters, I felt 175 was 250 on this pitch,” said Ashwin.
“I have an uncle, who messaged me, ‘174 is Babar Azam‘s Aile’. I wondered what game they were watching. It’s a follow-on enforcing wicket. If follow-on has to be enforced in T20Is, this is the right pitch. It could’ve been enforced if 20 more runs were there. Pakistan were so much in trouble that they couldn’t handle the pressure,” he continued.
Ashwin also pointed out that when Mohammad Nawaz, the left-handed all-rounder, was batting, Pakistan were already five or six wickets down, but despite that, his lack of intent against left-arm spinners drew Pakistan to the back foot.
Ravichandran Ashwin slams Babar Azam for ‘no improvement’ against Jasprit Bumrah
Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out that Babar Azam has not improved his ability to tackle Jasprit Bumrah. “If you look at Babar Azam’s defence against Jasprit Bumrah, he hasn’t made a change even after Pakistan lost a year or two ago,” Ashwin observed.
“The game in the USA saw him push at a delivery from Bumrah and get out. It was the same in this game as he played to third man and the commentary said it was a typical Babar Azam glide. But no, you will be dismissed if you play that way every time,” he added.
He then went on to opine that Pakistan is not tactically better and that they do not have the assets to challenge the Indian team. He then further opined that, be it a high- or a low-scoring game, India are far ahead of their rivals.
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