Pakistan decide to bowl against India in T20 World Cup

Pakistan have opted to field in their first match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan have opted to field in their first match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Indian skipper Virat Kohli said he’d have bowled as well had he won the toss.

This is the first T20I between the two arch-rivals since the 2016 T20 World Cup where India emerged victorious by six wickets in Kolkata. While the emotions are sure to be high, both India and Pakistan will be eager to get their T20 World Cup campaign off to a perfect start by putting two points on board.

Cricket’s most watched rivalry returns tonight in a match that promises everything. Few contests in any sport demand the attention that India-Pakistan encounters do. It is a rivalry laced with the richest of sporting history between two cricket-mad nations that have produced some of the game’s most iconic players and moments.

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The history they share of course added another brilliant chapter in the first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup when they clashed in the final, which India won. Just two years later Pakistan got their hands on the trophy to erase whatever scars existed from the 2007 defeat. Neither side has won it since but not for a want of trying.

Kohli vs Azam is a battle of captains, a battle of cover drives, a battle of two men who have unrelenting pursued excellence. Kohli boasts the most runs in men’s T20I history (3159) at the best average (52.65) of any player the format has seen. Babar is making up ground quickly on the run tally (2204) and has the third-best average (46.89) in the format. His opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan, sits second for average at 48.40. They are all consistency personified in a format not known for it. Throw in the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Mohammad Hafeez and you’re looking at two batting orders capable of scoring in any conditions.

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