Cricketer Kirti Azad, who won the 1983 World Cup, offered his thoughts on India’s strategy for the championship match. South Africa’s performance in their first-ever ICC event final was unpredictable, and Azad warned India not to get too comfortable.
On June 29, in Barbados, India and South Africa will face off in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final. The Men in Blue India will be trying to snap an 11-year trophy drought in the ICC, and the Proteas are hoping to win an ICC tournament for the first time. This makes the game extremely special for both teams.
Expectations and past setbacks weigh heavily on both teams. After years of being called “chokers” for never making it to the finals, South Africa has finally made a breakthrough. With the memory of their 2023 ODI World Cup defeat still fresh in their minds, India is keen to win this time.
“Since South Africa is making their debut in an ICC tournament final, discussing them is quite challenging. They were even dubbed “chokers” as they were known to choke in the semifinals, so it’s hard to forecast how they’ll fare in the championship game. To be sure, they will give it everything they have to win, but India must exercise caution to avoid becoming overconfident and choking the match. It is hoped that we achieve a high score,” he stated, as reported by NDTV.
I firmly believed that with the Indian team as it is, we will compete well and win the World Cup: Kirti Azad
Azad also emphasised how crucial it is to adjust to the playing surface in Barbados. South Africa will be playing its debut match at this site, whereas India will be playing for the second time in the current competition.
“We observed the pitches from the last game in the semifinals, where the ball stayed low and did not bounce much. Giving them a decent target and using caution will be necessary. “We need to make South Africa choke,” Azad continued.
Throughout the competition, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah have commanded India’s bowling attack, which has been outstanding. They demonstrated their supremacy in the semi-final matchup with England, when they held the opposition to only 103 runs.
“I was confident that the Indian squad will play well and win the World Cup given our current makeup. Every player has given an outstanding effort, but bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel have been particularly strong. India leads the world in its bowling attack. The 1983 World Cup victor said, “Rohit’s batting is our team’s finest asset.
The form of captain Rohit Sharma, who now stands third in the tournament with 248 runs, has been vital. Azad gave the team’s performance high marks overall.
The captains have all done a great job. When it comes to series that India had never won previously, Virat Kohli’s captaincy was particularly noteworthy. Each captain has a certain approach. Since Rohit is the captain right now and is leading the team to victory, I wish him all the best and hope they win the championship,” he said.
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