'Not clear favourites, anyone can upset them in any knockout game' - Nasser Hussain on India's chances to win the T20 WC 2021

India is all set to kick start its World Cup campaign on October 24 against Pakistan. However ahead of it, the former England cricketer Nasser Hussain feels that the Men in Blue are not entering the mega event as the clear favorites. According to him, owing to the uncertain nature of the T20 format, things can turn around quickly.

Team India last tasted the ICC trophy glory in the year 2013 wherein MS Dhoni-led the side to Champions Trophy victory. Ever since then, the team has struggled a tad bit in the knockout games. They reached the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup, 2016 World T20, and the 2019 World Cup. On the other hand, the side finished as runners-up in the 2017 Champions Trophy.

India also reached the final of the inaugural World Test Championship but then lost to New Zealand. Hussain shed light on these aspects and pointed that India’s record in the ICC tournament is not too impressive. He feels that with the number of expectations pinned on the team, they cannot afford to make mistakes in the marquee tournament.

India’s record of late in ICC tournaments is not good: Nasser Hussain

“They are favorites. I wouldn’t say clear favorites because of the format. The shorter the game, the things can happen. An individual brilliance, 70 or 80 or 3 deliveries suddenly change it the other way around. So anyone could upset India in any knockout game.

“Their record actually as of late in ICC tournaments is not good and that’s something they are going to have to deal with – with the weight of expectations of the Indian audience and fans heavy on their shoulders – when they get to a knockout game, all of a sudden you cannot afford a mistake and that’s going to be a thing for them,” Hussain said on Sky Cricket.

He also touched upon the example of the 2019 semi-final match between India and New Zealand. He further explained that the team did not have a backup plan and that gave the Kiwis edge over them.

“When they get to a stage – you look at the last World Cup against New Zealand – and suddenly it’s a low-scoring game and they don’t have a Plan B, they got rolled over a very good New Zealand side. So that’s going to be an issue for them. The knockout game, the expectations, everyone thinking that they will win. And the reason people think that is when you look at that line-up on paper, it has everything,” Hussain further added.