India’s T20 World Cup campaign kicked off in a disappointing ten-wicket loss to Pakistan. With runs coming thicker and faster under the lights and the influence of the dew, India’s fighting total of 151/7 proved to be too few as Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan scored half-centuries in a landslide victory for the Men in Green.
However, in an interview with Cricbuzz, former India paceman Ashish Nehra said he was impressed by Varun Chakravarthy even though the spinner failed to pick up any wickets.
”Playing his first game against Pakistan, in the World Cup, it’s not easy. But the way he started is praiseworthy.
The few deliveries that he got hit for sixes were some great strokes by the batters. But the bowling that we saw from him in the IPL and against Sri Lanka, he is just taking that forward.”
Given the responsibility of bowling the first over, Varun give away just two runs before. However, later on he was expensive as the Pakistan openers targeted the spinner, as his next three overs went for 31 runs.
Nehra was of the opinion that Chakravarthy bowled with discipline and did quite well, considering the magnitude of the fixture.
“So I would say Varun Chakravarthy was a big plus for India, and going forward, when there isn’t too much dew, he can be India’s X-factor”,
the ex-India pacer remarked.
Nevertheless, Nehra’s former teammate and fellow pundit Virender Sehwag disagreed with him, saying that Chakravarthy did not bowl as per his expectations, considering that he is an “X-factor” bowler for India.
Sehwag felt that Chakravarthy should pick up wickets, even if that would mean going for a few runs.
“As an X-factor, he has to take wickets. I don’t mind if he is expensive. Even if he gave 40 runs but took two wickets, that is more important. You become an X-factor bowler if you take wickets. Because even if you keep bowling economical spells, if you don’t take wickets, it will be difficult to beat the opposition”
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s wonderful spell of bowling restricted the Indians to a modest total, following which batsmen Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam played fantastic innings to guide Pakistan to a historic ten-wicket win.
