T20 World Cup 2024 | "Kohli, Bumrah can take game away": Pakistan's Fawad Alam

Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah (Pic: File Pic)

Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 match against India, former Pakistan cricketer Fawad Alam said Babar Azam-led team needs to dominate Indian stars Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah to secure a win.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India began their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with an eight-wicket win against Ireland, whereas Pakistan fell short of registering a win against debutants USA.

"Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will make an impact for India in the game because of their experience and also the quality of both of them. They can easily take the game away from Pakistan", Alam told PTI videos in an interview.

As a team, India is well-balanced, and it will be really hard to get past them.

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Fawad Alam who featured in 19 Tests, 38 ODIs and 24 T20Is for Pakistan said, Mohammad Amir needs to come up with a match-turning effort against Team India, like earlier he did in the Champions Trophy 2017.

"I feel Mohammad Amir will redeem himself and give a match-winning performance against India alongside captain Babar who has had a pretty decent record against them", said Alam, whose last T20I for Pakistan came back in 2010.

Amir who conceded 18 runs in the Super Over against USA warned to write off the pacer. "Based on that super over, you can't blame Amir. He is not the same bowler as he was four years back."

He has been playing cricket in different leagues and is still Pakistan's best and most experienced bowler, he added.

Following the T20 World Cup 2024 opening match loss against the USA, Alam accepted that it was not acceptable for Pakistan. and they would feel pressure against their arch-rivals India. "Pakistan losing to the USA is very shocking. The USA is playing in their first World Cup, so it is not acceptable at all. Now the pressure is on Pakistan in the game against India. All I can hope is for a good game of cricket", he said.

Alam hoped that Pakistan's bowling would come good against India, despite lacking good spin options. Imad Wasim's injury has come as a shock. Shadab is completely out of form with the ball in his hand. Pakistan is clearly lagging in bowling, especially in the spin department.

India has Bumrah, (Mohammad) Siraj, and Kuldeep (Yadav) who can pose a threat. But if Pakistan's bowling clicks in the improved conditions as claimed by ICC then we may witness them having an edge over India, he noted. The left-arm spinner said the International Cricket Council (ICC) should have inspected the drop-in pitch in New York well in advance of the tournament.

The deck at the Nassau County stadium has been offering variable bounce to pacers, often posing a threat to batters' limbs. India's Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant took hits during the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Ireland.

"If the wickets are well-prepared in Dallas and Florida then why didn't you host the games there? Now, you are trying to cover up but what about those teams who have already played their games and lost those matches? Who is responsible for that?" he said.

(With PTI Inputs)