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SPORTS AUGUST 27, 2021 | The Indian Eye 42

t20 World CUp

are men in Blue favorite to win the cup?

India will face Pakistan in their opening game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021

at the Dubai International Stadium on October 24

Our Bureau
Dubai

ndia and Pakistan will be
locking horns on October
I24 in a group-stage encoun-
ter of the upcoming T20 World
Cup. The ICC Men’s T20 World
Cup 2021 in UAE and Oman
will get underway from October
17, with the final to be played
in Dubai on November 14. The
tournament will begin with the
Round 1 Group B encounter
between hosts Oman and Pap-
ua New Guinea on October 17, Virat Kohli (ANI) Hardik Pandya (ANI)
with Scotland and Bangladesh,
the other teams in Group B, not take Afghanistan for grant- dia and Pakistan in Dubai on begin the quest for their second
clashing in the evening match. ed. People like Rashid Khan October 24. Pakistan then takes title in the shortest format of the
can create upsets. It’s the same on New Zealand in Sharjah on game in a couple of months.
Karthik reckons India is
former india opener gau- with Pakistan. But, yes, there October 26, in a tough start for favourite to win the upcom-
will be pressure on Pakistan,” the 2009 champions. Afghan-
tam gambhir feels Virat he added. istan begin their campaign on ing T20 World Cup because of

Kohli and boys will have an Ireland, Netherlands, Sri October 25 at Sharjah, taking the rich experience the young
Lanka, and Namibia - making on the winners of Group B from guns have after playing crunch
edge over pakistan in the up Group A - will be in action the first round. matches in the Indian Premier
upcoming t20 World Cup. in Abu Dhabi the next day, The group will conclude on League (IPL).
with Round 1 matches running November 8, with India taking
“I think it is 14 years that
but he was quick to add till October 22. The top two on the second-placed Round have gone by -- it’s very interest-
that no team should be tak- teams in each group will pro- 1 qualifier from Group A. The ing to know that it has been that
long -- I think that also means
ceed to the Super 12 stage of first semi-final will be held in
en for granted in the show- the tournament, beginning on Abu Dhabi on November 10. 14 seasons of IPL, so basically,
piece event. October 23. The second semi-final will be we have a lot of T20 experience
The second round of the hosted by Dubai on November
in that team,” Karthik said on
tournament - the Super12 stage 11. Both semi-finals have re- Star Sports show Game Plan.
India will face Pakistan in - will get underway in Abu Dhabi serve days. But England white-ball skip-
their opening game of the ICC on October 23, with the Group The marquee clash of the per Eoin Morgan has stressed
Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 at 1 contest between Australia and tournament will take place in on the importance of continu-
the Dubai International Stadi- South Africa. This will be fol- Dubai on November 14, Sun- ing to play in the manner they
um on October 24. “Expecta- lowed up with an evening clash day, with Monday acting as the have in the last two years as the
tions are going to be really high between England and West In- reserve day for the final. team gears up for the upcoming
from Pakistan as well, and at the dies in Dubai. India, champions in the in- men’s T20 World Cup.
moment, if you see, India is far Old rivals England and Aus- augural edition played in South England will open the cam-
more superior to Pakistan. Yes, tralia will lock horns in Dubai Africa in 2007 and finalists in paign in the 2021 edition of the
in a T20 format, anyone can on October 30. The group will 2014, will also have Afghan- tournament against defending
beat anyone because it is a very conclude on November 6 with istan, New Zealand, and two champions West Indies at the
individual kind of format, and matches between Australia and qualifiers from Round 1 to con- Abu Dhabi Stadium on October
we should not take any team for West Indies in Abu Dhabi, and tend with in Group 2. 23. “I think our biggest strength
granted,” Gambhir said on Star England and South Africa in India cricketer Dinesh is the consistency which we’ve
Sports show Game Plan ICC Sharjah. Karthik feels all-rounder Har- performed at over the last two
T20 WC Schedule. Group 2 will commence with dik Pandya will be a key cog in years,” ICC quoted Morgan as
“For example, you should a heavyweight clash between In- India’s wheel when the hosts saying.

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