Synopsis
Danish Kaneria believes Pakistan has no chance against India in their Champions Trophy match. He cites recent performances and highlights India's strong bowling. Kaneria criticizes Babar Azam's intent and praises Khushdil Shah's aggressive play, while calling for key players on both sides to step up.Key Takeaways
- Danish Kaneria expresses doubts about Pakistan's chances against India.
- India's spinners, particularly Jadeja and Patel, may challenge Babar Azam.
- Kaneria criticizes Babar's lack of intent in the previous match.
- Key players identified include Khushdil, Saud Shakeel, and Shubman Gill.
- India seeks to continue their winning momentum after defeating Bangladesh.
New Delhi, Feb 22 (NationPress) Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria expressed his belief that the team led by Mohammad Rizwan stands no chance of triumphing over India in their upcoming Champions Trophy match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Kaneria supported his viewpoint by pointing out Pakistan's poor performance in recent tournaments, including a loss in the Tri-Nation Series and a 1-1 draw against West Indies in the test series played at home. In contrast, he highlighted how India rebounded strongly after their previous setback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by defeating England in the white-ball series.
"Following the trouble in Australia, India made a strong comeback against England at home. Their confidence surged as Rohit and Virat scored runs, and Shami returned to action, silencing critics with a fifer against Bangladesh," Kaneria told IANS.
He emphasized that the Indian spinners would create challenges for Babar Azam, particularly with the presence of left-arm bowlers Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
"India possesses superior spinners, and Babar Azam often struggles against left-arm spin. How will he handle Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel? Meanwhile, Pakistan lacks a strong spinner, and we've witnessed Virat and others falter against leg-spin. This match is crucial, but I believe Pakistan has no chance against India on February 23," Kaneria stated.
The former player also criticized Babar for lacking aggression against New Zealand in the tournament's opener, where he scored 64 runs off 90 balls while pursuing a target of 321. He commended Khushdil Shah for his aggressive 49-ball 69, filled with 10 fours and a six.
"It’s essential not to take anything lightly. I’ve observed that when Babar thinks a game is lost, he tends to focus on his runs rather than the team. He lacked intent, while Khushdil played a commendable innings. Although we lost, his performance helped reduce the defeat margin. Babar cannot defend his innings," Kaneria remarked.
"Shubman Gill scored a classic century. Without intent, winning against India will be extremely challenging. The pitches in Dubai are dry and slow, making it tough to compete against quality Indian bowling, even without Jasprit Bumrah," he added.
When asked for his key players for the upcoming match, Kaneria identified Khushdil, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen for Pakistan, while naming Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Harshit Rana for India in this highly anticipated clash.
"In the absence of Fakhar, Khushdil Shah and Salman Agha have the potential to be key players. Technically, Saud Shakeel is impressive and can significantly impact the game, stepping in for Fakhar. In terms of bowling, Shaheen is the most experienced. For India, Rohit is in great form, but Shubman Gill could pose a serious threat. He will be the X-factor for them, along with Rohit and Virat Kohli. In the bowling department, Harshit Rana will be crucial..."
The team led by Rohit Sharma secured a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their first match on Wednesday and will aim to maintain their winning streak against Pakistan on Sunday to secure a spot in the semifinals.
