With India set to face arch-rivals Pakistan in their first Super 12 encounter of the 2021 T20WC this Sunday, ex-Australia pacer Brett Lee hailed them as one of the “favourites” to reclaim the coveted crown.
Though the Men in Blue have a positive win/loss record of 20 wins and 11 losses in the T20 World Cup history, the Asian giants haven’t clinched the title since the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2007. But Lee reckons Virat Kohli and company can finally bag the coveted crown back this winter.
The great cricketer turned commentator also named his top run-scorer and the highest wicket-taker for the competition and backed in-form Indian opening batter KL Rahul and experienced quick Mohammed Shami to finish with the respective tags.
“I think India are probably the favourites with their top four or five batters and their bowling attack.
I have KL Rahul down as the top run-scorer in the tournament and Mohammed Shami to be the leading wicket-taker, purely going on the last few months.
So, if they deliver and India have one of the leading run-scorers and wicket-takers, it’s a good start.”
Lee was quoted as saying by the ICC.
Lee based his call on performances during the United Arabic Emirates leg of the Indian Premier League 2021 where the two Punjab Kings players, were their only few bright spots from another disappointing campaign.
Rahul, who had made a prolific start to the IPL via the Indian leg of the competition, batted even better in the second half, scoring 295 runs from his six innings at an average of 59.00 and strike-rate of 141.82.
He also looked in majestic touch in both of India’s warm-up games against England and Australia and made scores of 51 off 24 and 39 off 31, respectively.
Shami showed decent improvement in his death-bowling prowess throughout the UAE leg of IPL 2021. He finished the season with 19 wickets from 14 games while conceding a very respectable 7.50 rpo.
