With India all set to face England in the semi final match in the T20I World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on 10 November, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has sent a special message to Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and his squad – -Pakistan cricket team will be waiting for India at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Earlier on 9 November, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side secured a berth in the T20I World Cup 2022 final to be staged at the MCG on 13 November. It defeated New Zealand by 7 wickets, all thanks to outstanding pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s spell, who grabbed two crucial wickets in New Zealand’s first innings. Also, Babar Azam (53) and Mohammed Rizwan (57) knocked the kiwis out of the ICC T20I World Cup tournament. The ‘Men in Green’ became the first team to qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup final.
Following Pakistan’s victory, Akhtar sent a video message in which he expressed his excitement for the India-Pakistan final. In a short clasp shared on Twitter, the former speedster said: “India, we have reached Melbourne and now we are waiting for you. Wish you the best of luck and I hope you make it to Melbourne. I want the final of India vs Pakistan and, once again, they face each other. The whole world is waiting for it.”
Shoaib Akhtar also mentioned that this 2022 T20 World Cup is very similar to the 1992 World Cup which was won by Pakistan. He highlighted the fact that the 1992 World Cup final was between Pakistan and England, but he still wanted to see India in the finals this time.
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Interestingly, on 23 October, India and Pakistan played their first Super 12 match in front of a packed MCG stadium. The ‘Men in Blue’ won on a cliffhanger after the match went down to the wire thanks to Virat Kohli’s batting prowess. This time, Pakistan looks ready and in full momentum.
However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has some good news to share. India’s opening batsmen KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav are in form, while key bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Mohd Shami will look to manage any conditions.
It should be noted that Pakistan experienced many chances in this World Cup which are said to be comparable to those that occurred in the 1992 tournament. In the 1992 World Cup, Pakistan also lost their league match against India, and New Zealand lost in the semifinals.
Cricket fans are eagerly anticipating the India-England match as it could change the series of Pakistan’s chances in the 1992 World Cup, when Pakistan defeated England in the final.
Against a formidable England team, India will have their work cut out for them. England have been a formidable force in white-ball cricket under Eoin Morgan, and now, under the leadership of Jos Buttler, they have advanced to the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
With injuries sustained in the net session by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India are facing some injury concerns ahead of the match. Both players are healthy and fit for selection.
Considering the chances for both India and Pakistan, it could be interesting, whether the Indian pacers take early wickets or, Kohli dominates with his batting prowess. However, it all depends on the middle order bowlers economy which will decide the pace of the game.
The India Vs England T20 World Cup, Semi Final match will start at 1:30 PM IST. In India, the match will be telecast on Star Sports Network. Online viewers can follow the live action via Disney+Hotstar.
