- Thursday, January 16, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
While the cricketing fraternity might be expecting a high-voltage India-Pakistan final to give a perfect conclusion to this year’s exciting T20 World Cup in Australia, England captain Jos Buttler has different thoughts.
The wicket-keeper-batter has said on the eve of his team’s semi-final clash against India that they will be trying to make sure that an India-Pakistan final doesn’t take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday (13).
“Well, we certainly don’t want to see an India-Pakistan final. So, we’ll be trying all we can do to make sure that doesn’t happen,” the England skipper said in a press conference in Adelaide on Wednesday (8).
India and England will lock horns in the second semi-final at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (10).
Pakistan made it to the final the same day when they beat 2021 finalists New Zealand by seven wickets in the first semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Asian arch-rivals have already met once in this World Cup which was in the group stage. Ace India batter Virat Kohli played a match-winning knock of 82 not out in just 53 balls to give his side a memorable four-wicket win on that occasion at the MCG.
When Buttler was asked if India have lost their aura in knockout games, he answered that wasn’t the case.
“Not at all. I think India is a very very strong team. I think Indian teams have been consistently strong for a long period of time and naturally so with the amount of depth and talent. So, there are some fantastic players in their lineup. You get to a semi-final of any competition you expect to be playing against a very tough team and India will certainly be that,” he said.
England, who won the 2010 edition of the tournament, finished as the runners-up last year.
Former cricketers such as Shoaib Akhtar have said that they are hoping to see India and Pakistan play each other in the final of the marquee tournament.
“Hopefully, India and Pakistan don’t return home after the semi-finals. I want to watch an India-Pakistan final. The broadcasters and the ICC will have the most fun if this happens,” said Akhtar.
India and Pakistan had featured in the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 and on that occasion, India led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni had the last laugh by winning the title clash by only five runs.
Pakistan’s latest entry into the final is their third overall and the first since 2009 when they won the trophy. India, on the other hand, had made the final last time in 2014 when they lost to Sri Lanka.
