India were tottering at 31 for 4, in pursuit of 160, in their T20 World Cup opener versus Pakistan at the MCG, Melbourne on Sunday (October 23). After opting to bowl first, Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue restricted Pakistan to 159-8 but found them way behind at the halfway mark, with 115 to get off 60 balls.

Nonetheless, Virat Kohli was joined by all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who instilled a lot of belief in their 113-run fifth-wicket partnership and played the aggressor's role. While Hardik did slow down a bit towards the end overs, Kohli took the mantle and pressed the accelerator with his timely and unbelievable strokes, taking on Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, etc., to take India past the finish line in a thrilling last-over run-chase.

Hardik was dismissed for 40 (37) but Kohli kept his cool and ended the run-chase for India, with R Ashwin hitting the winning shot on the final ball of the contest. After the riveting encounter, at the MCG, Melbourne, Kohli and Hardik got together and relived their match-winning stand.

"I would have taken a bullet for you at that point of time, but I would not have let you get out. My goal was simple, whatever I can do to make your life easier, I'll do it. You have done it so many times and no one is better at handling pressure than you," said Hardik in a video posted by BCCI.

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Of special knocks, game-changing sixes &amp; thrilling victory at the MCG! 👌 💪 
 
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: Men of the moment - <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a> - chat after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> beat Pakistan in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a>. 👏 👏 - By <a href="https://twitter.com/RajalArora?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RajalArora</a> 
 
Full interview 🎥 🔽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a><a href="https://t.co/3QKftWa7dk">https://t.co/3QKftWa7dk</a> <a href="https://t.co/sK7TyLFcSI">pic.twitter.com/sK7TyLFcSI</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1584408357972025347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-i-was-12-of-21-virat-kohli-thought-he-was-messing-the-game-up-during-mcg-blitz-vs-pakistan-527906">'When I was 12 of 21...' - Virat Kohli thought he was 'messing the game up' during MCG blitz vs Pakistan</a>

Hardik also lauded King Kohli for his two amazing hits in the penultimate over, off Rauf, as he brought down the equation from 28 off 8 balls to 16 needed off the final over. In this regard, he&nbsp;said, "Those two shots played by Virat Kohli, just because I know how important those two shots were, if you had missed even shot, still they were running ahead with the game. I have hit a lot of sixes, but those two sixes were really really special. What it meant for both of us, we actually were so pumped. Those two shots, I told him that I have played so much cricket but I do not think anyone could have played those two shots except Mr. Kohli."

India will now meet the Netherlands, who lost to Bangladesh by nine runs in their Super 12 opener on Monday (October 24), on Thursday (October 27) at the SCG, Sydney.

India were tottering at 31 for 4, in pursuit of 160, in their T20 World Cup opener versus Pakistan at the MCG, Melbourne on Sunday (October 23). After opting to bowl first, Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue restricted Pakistan to 159-8 but found them way behind at the halfway mark, with 115 to get off 60 balls.

India were tottering at 31 for 4, in pursuit of 160, in their T20 World Cup opener versus Pakistan at the MCG, Melbourne on Sunday (October 23). After opting to bowl first, Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue restricted Pakistan to 159-8 but found them way behind at the halfway mark, with 115 to get off 60 balls. Nonetheless, Virat Kohli was joined by all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who instilled a lot of belief in their 113-run fifth-wicket partnership and played the aggressor's role. While Hardik did slow down a bit towards the end overs, Kohli took the mantle and pressed the accelerator with his timely and unbelievable strokes, taking on Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, etc., to take India past the finish line in a thrilling last-over run-chase. Hardik was dismissed for 40 (37) but Kohli kept his cool and ended the run-chase for India, with R Ashwin hitting the winning shot on the final ball of the contest. After the riveting encounter, at the MCG, Melbourne, Kohli and Hardik got together and relived their match-winning stand. "I would have taken a bullet for you at that point of time, but I would not have let you get out. My goal was simple, whatever I can do to make your life easier, I'll do it. You have done it so many times and no one is better at handling pressure than you," said Hardik in a video posted by BCCI. Of special knocks, game-changing sixes & thrilling victory at the MCG! 👌 💪 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: Men of the moment - @imVkohli & @hardikpandya7 - chat after #TeamIndia beat Pakistan in the #T20WorldCup. 👏 👏 - By @RajalArora Full interview 🎥 🔽 #INDvPAKhttps://t.co/3QKftWa7dk pic.twitter.com/sK7TyLFcSI — BCCI (@BCCI) October 24, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'When I was 12 of 21...' - Virat Kohli thought he was 'messing the game up' during MCG blitz vs Pakistan Hardik also lauded King Kohli for his two amazing hits in the penultimate over, off Rauf, as he brought down the equation from 28 off 8 balls to 16 needed off the final over. In this regard, he said, "Those two shots played by Virat Kohli, just because I know how important those two shots were, if you had missed even shot, still they were running ahead with the game. I have hit a lot of sixes, but those two sixes were really really special. What it meant for both of us, we actually were so pumped. Those two shots, I told him that I have played so much cricket but I do not think anyone could have played those two shots except Mr. Kohli." India will now meet the Netherlands, who lost to Bangladesh by nine runs in their Super 12 opener on Monday (October 24), on Thursday (October 27) at the SCG, Sydney.

'I'd have taken a bullet for you but not have...': Hardik Pandya tells Virat Kohli after duo's MCG heroics

India is set to take on Pakistan in both sides' respective tournament openers at the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Both the Asian giants are placed in Pool B in the Super 12 round, also comprising the likes of Bangladesh, South Africa, Netherlands and Zimbabwe.&nbsp;

India and Pakistan square off at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday afternoon (October 23). There has been a lot of hype on the marquee encounter and the match is expected to go down to the wire, albiet with some rain interruptions on the cards. Ahead of the face-off, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is set to surpass former skipper MS Dhoni to achieve an elite T20 WC record under his belt. Rohit will play his 34th game in the T20 WC and move past Dhoni, who made 33 appearances for India in the mega event.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-pakistan-t20-wc-2022-predicting-rohit-sharma-cos-likely-playing-xi-for-high-voltage-clash-527699">India vs Pakistan, T20 WC 2022: Predicting Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s likely playing XI for high-voltage clash</a>

Here are the Indians with most T20 World Cup appearances:

<section>
MS Dhoni - 33

Rohit Sharma - 33*

Yuvraj Singh - 31

Suresh Raina - 26

Rohit is the only Indian to have represented the national side in all the T20 WC editions so far. In the overall list of most T20 WC appearances, Rohit will be tied with Shahid Afridi but overtake him to&nbsp;occupy&nbsp;the second spot after Tilakaratne Dilshan (35 appearances).

Here are the list of players with the most appearances in the T20 World Cup:

Tilakaratne Dilshan - 35

Shahid Afridi- 34

Rohit Sharma - 33

MS Dhoni- 33

Mahela Jayawardene- 31

On the eve of the Indo-Pak contest, Rohit spoke about India's nine-year-ICC-title-drought and&nbsp;said, "Yes, it is a challenge to not win an ICC trophy for nine years, if I am not wrong. The last one we won was in 2013 [Champions Trophy]. It has been a challenge with the team like us, there are a lot of expectations, we are certainly little disappointed with that. This tournament gives us that chance to change it and do well. We certainly know we have to play our best cricket to do well here. We need to take it one game at a time, and then go ahead."
</section>

India is set to take on Pakistan in both sides' respective tournament openers at the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Both the Asian giants are placed in Pool B in the Super 12 round, also comprising the likes of Bangladesh, South Africa, Netherlands and Zimbabwe.

India is set to take on Pakistan in both sides' respective tournament openers at the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Both the Asian giants are placed in Pool B in the Super 12 round, also comprising the likes of Bangladesh, South Africa, Netherlands and Zimbabwe. India and Pakistan square off at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday afternoon (October 23). There has been a lot of hype on the marquee encounter and the match is expected to go down to the wire, albiet with some rain interruptions on the cards. Ahead of the face-off, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is set to surpass former skipper MS Dhoni to achieve an elite T20 WC record under his belt. Rohit will play his 34th game in the T20 WC and move past Dhoni, who made 33 appearances for India in the mega event. ALSO READ | India vs Pakistan, T20 WC 2022: Predicting Rohit Sharma & Co.'s likely playing XI for high-voltage clash Here are the Indians with most T20 World Cup appearances: MS Dhoni - 33 Rohit Sharma - 33* Yuvraj Singh - 31 Suresh Raina - 26 Rohit is the only Indian to have represented the national side in all the T20 WC editions so far. In the overall list of most T20 WC appearances, Rohit will be tied with Shahid Afridi but overtake him to occupy the second spot after Tilakaratne Dilshan (35 appearances). Here are the list of players with the most appearances in the T20 World Cup: Tilakaratne Dilshan - 35 Shahid Afridi- 34 Rohit Sharma - 33 MS Dhoni- 33 Mahela Jayawardene- 31 On the eve of the Indo-Pak contest, Rohit spoke about India's nine-year-ICC-title-drought and said, "Yes, it is a challenge to not win an ICC trophy for nine years, if I am not wrong. The last one we won was in 2013 [Champions Trophy]. It has been a challenge with the team like us, there are a lot of expectations, we are certainly little disappointed with that. This tournament gives us that chance to change it and do well. We certainly know we have to play our best cricket to do well here. We need to take it one game at a time, and then go ahead."

T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma to surpass MS Dhoni to achieve elite record during India-Pakistan clash

There isn't much time before the India-Pakistna T20 World Cup 2022 clash gets underway. Ahead of the big-ticket encounter, there has been a lot of talk regarding the weather conditions in Melbourne. One can expect rain showers to interrupt the match but it shouldn't be a rain-abandoned encounter. A rain-curtailed contest can be on cards for the high-voltage clash at the MCG, Melbourne.&nbsp;

The cricket lovers from both sides are also eager to know the pitch conditions for the marquee encounter. The last time both sides met each other in the T20 WC, Babar Azam-led Pakistan made early inroads as Shaheen Afridi got enough assistance in the early overs and bowled the right lengths to rattle India's top order. After India managed to post 151-7, Pakistan chased down the score with ten wickets in hand, courtesy of openers Babar and Md Rizwan's unbeaten half-centuries.

Here's the expected pitch conditions at the MCG, Melbourne for the T20 WC marquee clash

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2022-india-vs-pakistan-live-cricket-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-epic-face-off-527678">T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off?</a>

Ahead of the match, MCG pitch curator Michael Salvatore has said that the wicket will remain consistent throughout the course of the game. "T20 wickets are usually really consistent for the whole match. So it should make for a really good game. We have brought it from our wicket nursery which is just outside the ground. It's literally 200 meters outside the ground so we can move and monitor and maintain the wickets all year around. And the wickets were installed three weeks ago," Salvatore said during an interaction with A Sports.

"So we have drop-in wickets here at the MCG. So for the cricket season we bring the wickets in and I sit on some sand and bed in nicely. And then once cricket finishes, we have got the football stadium. We have the ability to take them out and put them up in our special week anniversary where we can look after and maintain them," he added.

India and Pakistan are placed in Pool B in the Super 12 round, along with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Netherlands.

There isn't much time before the India-Pakistna T20 World Cup 2022 clash gets underway. Ahead of the big-ticket encounter, there has been a lot of talk regarding the weather conditions in Melbourne.

There isn't much time before the India-Pakistna T20 World Cup 2022 clash gets underway. Ahead of the big-ticket encounter, there has been a lot of talk regarding the weather conditions in Melbourne. One can expect rain showers to interrupt the match but it shouldn't be a rain-abandoned encounter. A rain-curtailed contest can be on cards for the high-voltage clash at the MCG, Melbourne. The cricket lovers from both sides are also eager to know the pitch conditions for the marquee encounter. The last time both sides met each other in the T20 WC, Babar Azam-led Pakistan made early inroads as Shaheen Afridi got enough assistance in the early overs and bowled the right lengths to rattle India's top order. After India managed to post 151-7, Pakistan chased down the score with ten wickets in hand, courtesy of openers Babar and Md Rizwan's unbeaten half-centuries. Here's the expected pitch conditions at the MCG, Melbourne for the T20 WC marquee clash ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off? Ahead of the match, MCG pitch curator Michael Salvatore has said that the wicket will remain consistent throughout the course of the game. "T20 wickets are usually really consistent for the whole match. So it should make for a really good game. We have brought it from our wicket nursery which is just outside the ground. It's literally 200 meters outside the ground so we can move and monitor and maintain the wickets all year around. And the wickets were installed three weeks ago," Salvatore said during an interaction with A Sports. "So we have drop-in wickets here at the MCG. So for the cricket season we bring the wickets in and I sit on some sand and bed in nicely. And then once cricket finishes, we have got the football stadium. We have the ability to take them out and put them up in our special week anniversary where we can look after and maintain them," he added. India and Pakistan are placed in Pool B in the Super 12 round, along with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Netherlands.

'Should make for a...' - MCG pitch curator on nature of surface for India-Pakistan T20 WC clash

The D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to meet in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday afternoon (October 23). This will be the second clash of the day, with Ireland-Sri Lanka face-off at Hobart being the first encounter.

India and Pakistan do not meet in bilaterals ever since the strained political relations between both sides. Hence, both the sides now only square off during multi-nation or ICC events. Thus, the clash becomes even more special for cricket lovers from both countries. This year, India and Pakistan have already met twice, during the 2022 Asia Cup. Back then, both teams won and lost a game each.&nbsp;

During their last T20 WC face-off, India lost their first-ever World Cup game to their arch-rivals Pakistan. Babar Azam-led Men in Green rode on Shaheen Afridi's 3/31 and unbeaten half-centuries from Babar-Md Rizwan to thrash India by ten wickets. Since then, India have revamped their T20I playing style and have enjoyed considerable success in the format in 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-2022-india-vs-pakistan-match-prediction-will-rohit-co-avenge-their-2021-humiliation-at-the-mcg-527690">T20 WC 2022, India vs Pakistan match prediction: Will Rohit &amp; Co. avenge their 2021 humiliation at the MCG?</a>

Thus, it promises to be an enthralling encounter between both sides at the MCG. The weather condition is keenly being followed by cricket lovers across the globe ahead of the marquee face-off. While one cannot predict anything related to the weather, here's our prediction of India's XI for the Pakistan clash:

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin/Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh

The D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to meet in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday afternoon (October 23).

The D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to meet in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday afternoon (October 23). This will be the second clash of the day, with Ireland-Sri Lanka face-off at Hobart being the first encounter. India and Pakistan do not meet in bilaterals ever since the strained political relations between both sides. Hence, both the sides now only square off during multi-nation or ICC events. Thus, the clash becomes even more special for cricket lovers from both countries. This year, India and Pakistan have already met twice, during the 2022 Asia Cup. Back then, both teams won and lost a game each. During their last T20 WC face-off, India lost their first-ever World Cup game to their arch-rivals Pakistan. Babar Azam-led Men in Green rode on Shaheen Afridi's 3/31 and unbeaten half-centuries from Babar-Md Rizwan to thrash India by ten wickets. Since then, India have revamped their T20I playing style and have enjoyed considerable success in the format in 2022. ALSO READ | T20 WC 2022, India vs Pakistan match prediction: Will Rohit & Co. avenge their 2021 humiliation at the MCG? Thus, it promises to be an enthralling encounter between both sides at the MCG. The weather condition is keenly being followed by cricket lovers across the globe ahead of the marquee face-off. While one cannot predict anything related to the weather, here's our prediction of India's XI for the Pakistan clash: Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin/Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh

India vs Pakistan, T20 WC 2022: Predicting Rohit Sharma & Co.'s likely playing XI for high-voltage clash

D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the fourth game of the Super 12 round at the T20 World Cup on Sunday afternoon (October 23) at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Both Rohit Sharma's Team India and Babar Azam-led Pakistan will open their respective campaigns in the ICC event by facing each other in the marquee encounter.&nbsp;

Hence, both sides will be up and running from the word go. India and Pakistan met twice this year during the 2022 Asia Cup, where both teams won and lost a game each. Prior to that, Babar &amp; Co. defeated the then Virat Kohli-led Indian team by ten wickets in the 2021 T20 WC, in Dubai. Thus, Pakistan will feel confident facing India whereas Rohit &amp; Co. will be desperate to avoid another World Cup loss versus their arch-rivals.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2022-india-vs-pakistan-live-cricket-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-epic-face-off-527678">T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off?</a>

A lot of talks have been around the weather in Melbourne ahead of the blockbuster face-off. Rain is expected to make its presence felt and there might be a batting shootout between sides in a rain-curtailed encounter at the iconic ground. While it is cloudy in Melbourne at the time of publishing this report, the notorious weather conditions might spring a surprise. A game is expected, by all means, but it might not be a full 40-over contest.

Match prediction for IND vs PAK T20 WC clash: There are high chances of a rain-curtailed game at the MCG. If that happens, expect both captains to bowl first -- which is expected to be the case even if it is a full game -- with more batting ammunition. Given India have more firepower and are less dependent on their top two, an India win can be expected today.

D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the fourth game of the Super 12 round at the T20 World Cup on Sunday afternoon (October 23) at the iconic MCG, Melbourne.

D-day has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the fourth game of the Super 12 round at the T20 World Cup on Sunday afternoon (October 23) at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Both Rohit Sharma's Team India and Babar Azam-led Pakistan will open their respective campaigns in the ICC event by facing each other in the marquee encounter. Hence, both sides will be up and running from the word go. India and Pakistan met twice this year during the 2022 Asia Cup, where both teams won and lost a game each. Prior to that, Babar & Co. defeated the then Virat Kohli-led Indian team by ten wickets in the 2021 T20 WC, in Dubai. Thus, Pakistan will feel confident facing India whereas Rohit & Co. will be desperate to avoid another World Cup loss versus their arch-rivals. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off? A lot of talks have been around the weather in Melbourne ahead of the blockbuster face-off. Rain is expected to make its presence felt and there might be a batting shootout between sides in a rain-curtailed encounter at the iconic ground. While it is cloudy in Melbourne at the time of publishing this report, the notorious weather conditions might spring a surprise. A game is expected, by all means, but it might not be a full 40-over contest. Match prediction for IND vs PAK T20 WC clash: There are high chances of a rain-curtailed game at the MCG. If that happens, expect both captains to bowl first -- which is expected to be the case even if it is a full game -- with more batting ammunition. Given India have more firepower and are less dependent on their top two, an India win can be expected today.

T20 WC 2022, India vs Pakistan match prediction: Will Rohit & Co. avenge their 2021 humiliation at the MCG?

Kusal Mendis scored another half-century as Sri Lanka trounced Ireland by nine wickets in the T20 World Cup at Hobart on Sunday to build confidence ahead of a potentially pivotal Super 12 clash against champions Australia.

Opener Mendis, who blasted 79 in a qualifying win over the Netherlands last week, fired Sri Lanka to victory with an unbeaten 68 as his team crossed Ireland's 128 for eight with 30 balls to spare in the clash of qualifiers at Bellerive Oval. Since a shock first-up loss to Namibia during qualifying, the 2014 champions Sri Lanka have now won three matches in succession.

They loom as a dangerous match-up for Australia in Perth on Tuesday with the hosts reeling from their heavy opening loss to New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday. Ireland won the toss and chose to bat but were restricted by Sri Lanka's parsimonious bowling from the halfway mark despite 45 from number four Harry Tector.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-2022-india-vs-pakistan-live-cricket-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-epic-face-off-527678">T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off?</a>

Man-of-the-match Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva (31) ensured there would be no slip-ups for the south Asians as they built a quickfire opening stand of 63 before De Silva was caught behind off the bowling of Gareth Delany.

Charith Asalanka kept up the pace with an unbeaten 31, with Mendis fittingly sealing the win by slogging spinner Simi Singh for six over square leg.

Kusal Mendis scored another half-century as Sri Lanka trounced Ireland by nine wickets in the T20 World Cup at Hobart on Sunday to build confidence ahead of a potentially pivotal Super 12 clash against champions Australia.

Kusal Mendis scored another half-century as Sri Lanka trounced Ireland by nine wickets in the T20 World Cup at Hobart on Sunday to build confidence ahead of a potentially pivotal Super 12 clash against champions Australia. Opener Mendis, who blasted 79 in a qualifying win over the Netherlands last week, fired Sri Lanka to victory with an unbeaten 68 as his team crossed Ireland's 128 for eight with 30 balls to spare in the clash of qualifiers at Bellerive Oval. Since a shock first-up loss to Namibia during qualifying, the 2014 champions Sri Lanka have now won three matches in succession. They loom as a dangerous match-up for Australia in Perth on Tuesday with the hosts reeling from their heavy opening loss to New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday. Ireland won the toss and chose to bat but were restricted by Sri Lanka's parsimonious bowling from the halfway mark despite 45 from number four Harry Tector. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2022: India vs Pakistan, Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch epic face-off? Man-of-the-match Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva (31) ensured there would be no slip-ups for the south Asians as they built a quickfire opening stand of 63 before De Silva was caught behind off the bowling of Gareth Delany. Charith Asalanka kept up the pace with an unbeaten 31, with Mendis fittingly sealing the win by slogging spinner Simi Singh for six over square leg.

Men's T20 World Cup: Kusal Mendis' 68 not out takes Sri Lanka to 9-wicket win over Ireland

India and Pakistan have locked horns in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Sunday afternoon (October 23). After both sides met in the last year's edition, in the UAE, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green thrashed India by ten wickets, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will be eager to settle scores versus their arch-rivals in the marquee encounter at the MCG, Melbourne.&nbsp;

Rohit, who is playing his 34th T20 WC encounter (most by any Indian), is leading India for the first time in an ICC event. During India's national anthem, Hitman was seen controlling his emotions as the video went viral in no time. Here's the clip:

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-rohit-sharma-to-surpass-ms-dhoni-to-achieve-elite-record-during-india-pakistan-clash-527708">T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma to surpass MS Dhoni to achieve elite record during India-Pakistan clash</a>

At the coin toss, Rohit-led India won the toss and opted to bowl first. At the toss, the 35-year-old Rohit said, "We are going to field first. Looks like a good pitch, it's always nice to bowl with overcast conditions. Think the ball will swing around a bit, and we need to take its advantage. Preparations have been good. We played a couple of practice games in Brisbane. Time to come out and enjoy ourselves now. We were expecting nothing less than this, hopefully we'll entertain them (the crowd). We have seven batters, three seamers and two spinners."

With his 34th appearance at the T20 WC, Rohit also went past former captain MS Dhoni with the most matches for his national side in tournament history. He will now look to guide India to a win over Pakistan and take them off to a victorious start in the ICC event Down Under.

India and Pakistan have locked horns in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Sunday afternoon (October 23). After both sides met in the last year's edition, in the UAE, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green thrashed India by ten wickets, Rohit Sharma & Co.

India and Pakistan have locked horns in the Super 12 round of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Sunday afternoon (October 23). After both sides met in the last year's edition, in the UAE, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green thrashed India by ten wickets, Rohit Sharma & Co. will be eager to settle scores versus their arch-rivals in the marquee encounter at the MCG, Melbourne. Rohit, who is playing his 34th T20 WC encounter (most by any Indian), is leading India for the first time in an ICC event. During India's national anthem, Hitman was seen controlling his emotions as the video went viral in no time. Here's the clip: View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) × ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma to surpass MS Dhoni to achieve elite record during India-Pakistan clash At the coin toss, Rohit-led India won the toss and opted to bowl first. At the toss, the 35-year-old Rohit said, "We are going to field first. Looks like a good pitch, it's always nice to bowl with overcast conditions. Think the ball will swing around a bit, and we need to take its advantage. Preparations have been good. We played a couple of practice games in Brisbane. Time to come out and enjoy ourselves now. We were expecting nothing less than this, hopefully we'll entertain them (the crowd). We have seven batters, three seamers and two spinners." With his 34th appearance at the T20 WC, Rohit also went past former captain MS Dhoni with the most matches for his national side in tournament history. He will now look to guide India to a win over Pakistan and take them off to a victorious start in the ICC event Down Under.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma controls emotions during national anthem ahead of Indo-Pak T20 WC clash

The T20 World Cup 2022 edition's qualifying round has seen plenty of drama and action. On Thursday (October 20), Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands by 16 runs to enter the Super 12 round whereas Namibia's loss to the UAE in their last face-off resulted in the Dutch line-up also progressing ahead, into the main draw of the competition. While Sri Lanka joins Pool A, the Netherlands will now be a part of Team India-starrer Pool B.

Two more teams will now join the main draw of the tournament on Friday (October 21). Group B, from the qualifiers, has become a congested one with all four teams -- West Indies, Zimbabwe, Scotland and Ireland -- tied with two points each. The equation is simple for all of them. The winner of the West Indies-Ireland tie and Scotland-Zimbabwe match will progress ahead; with the group toppers joining Pool B whereas the other will join Australia-starrer Pool A.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-asian-champions-sri-lanka-beat-netherlands-by-16-runs-to-enter-super-12-round-527013">T20 World Cup: Asian champions Sri Lanka beat Netherlands by 16 runs to enter Super 12 round</a>

Here's the qualification scenario explained for Group B teams for Super 12

The winner of West Indies-Ireland and Scotland-Zimbabwe will make it to the Super 12 stage. In case both the games are washed out due to rain, with the forecast not looking encouraging in Geelong on Friday, current table-toppers Scotland and Zimbabwe will qualify. If the Zimbabwe-Scotland game is abandoned and the other match is completed, then the winner of West Indies-Ireland will enter Pool B whereas Scotland will proceed to Pool A in the Super 12.

On the other hand, if the Scotland-Zimbabwe game produces a winner and the other encounter is abandoned, then the former match's winner will end as group toppers and go through along with West Indies.

Hence, everything is at stake for all four teams in Group B. It is set to be a memorable end to the qualifiers, which has provided wholesome entertainment for spectators and viewers across the globe.

The T20 World Cup 2022 edition's qualifying round has seen plenty of drama and action. On Thursday (October 20), Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands by 16 runs to enter the Super 12 round whereas Namibia's loss to the UAE in their last face-off resulted in the Dutch line-up also progressing ahead, into the main draw of the competition.

The T20 World Cup 2022 edition's qualifying round has seen plenty of drama and action. On Thursday (October 20), Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands by 16 runs to enter the Super 12 round whereas Namibia's loss to the UAE in their last face-off resulted in the Dutch line-up also progressing ahead, into the main draw of the competition. While Sri Lanka joins Pool A, the Netherlands will now be a part of Team India-starrer Pool B. Two more teams will now join the main draw of the tournament on Friday (October 21). Group B, from the qualifiers, has become a congested one with all four teams -- West Indies, Zimbabwe, Scotland and Ireland -- tied with two points each. The equation is simple for all of them. The winner of the West Indies-Ireland tie and Scotland-Zimbabwe match will progress ahead; with the group toppers joining Pool B whereas the other will join Australia-starrer Pool A. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Asian champions Sri Lanka beat Netherlands by 16 runs to enter Super 12 round Here's the qualification scenario explained for Group B teams for Super 12 The winner of West Indies-Ireland and Scotland-Zimbabwe will make it to the Super 12 stage. In case both the games are washed out due to rain, with the forecast not looking encouraging in Geelong on Friday, current table-toppers Scotland and Zimbabwe will qualify. If the Zimbabwe-Scotland game is abandoned and the other match is completed, then the winner of West Indies-Ireland will enter Pool B whereas Scotland will proceed to Pool A in the Super 12. On the other hand, if the Scotland-Zimbabwe game produces a winner and the other encounter is abandoned, then the former match's winner will end as group toppers and go through along with West Indies. Hence, everything is at stake for all four teams in Group B. It is set to be a memorable end to the qualifiers, which has provided wholesome entertainment for spectators and viewers across the globe.

T20 World Cup 2022: Which two teams will enter Super 12? Here's group B qualification scenario

After Sri Lanka made it to the Super 12 round, of the T20 World Cup, with a 16-run win over the Netherlands in the qualifiers on Thursday (October 20), the onus was on Namibia to join them with a victory over UAE in Group A's last encounter. Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka in their tournament opener, failed to chase a modest 149 and were restricted to 141 for 8 in 20 overs to lose by seven runs and miss out on a Super 12 berth. From Group A, Sri Lanka will join Pool A in the next round whereas the Dutch line-up will be a part of the Team India-starrer Pool B.

Talking about the contest, UAE won the toss and opted to bat first. Riding on&nbsp;Muhammad Waseem's 41-ball 50, UAE were off to a cautious start. In the last few overs, the upped the ante courtesy of vital knocks from skipper&nbsp;Chundangapoyil Rizwan (29-ball 43) and&nbsp;Basil Hameed's 14-ball 25 not out. Namibia paid the price for leaking as many as 33 runs in the last 12 balls as UAE posted a competitive 149 for 3.&nbsp;

In reply, Namibia were off to a nervy start and lost wickets at regular intervals to be reeling at 46 for 5. Their chase was going nowhere before all-rounder David Weise's 36-ball 55 and&nbsp;Ruben Trumpelmann's 24-ball 25 kept them alive. Weise's big hits brought the chase alive and infused an intense battle in the last few overs before he fell with his side needing 10 off 3 balls.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-they-do-not-win-this-time-sunil-gavaskar-rates-indias-chances-at-t20-wc-before-pakistan-clash-527051">'If they do not win this time...' - Sunil Gavaskar rates India's chances at T20 WC before Pakistan clash</a>

Waseem, who returned with the Player-of-the-Match award, kept his nerves to bowl a fantastic last over and conceded only half a dozen runs to take his side to a thrilling seven-run win as they bowed out of the showpiece event with a win from three games. For Namibia, they will be gutted about missing out on a Super 12 berth as they only needed a win to go past the Netherlands line-up and progress ahead.

At the post-match presentation, UAE skipper CP Rizwan said, "A great moment for UAE cricket. I would like to thank our coach and the management. We had been doing well in patches, but today everything clicked together. (On Waseem's bowling at the death) He used to bowl a lot of death overs in our domestic cricket, and with the dew I backed my instinct of bowling medium pacers. This win is really big for UAE cricket, it can tell the world that we are here!"

After Sri Lanka made it to the Super 12 round, of the T20 World Cup, with a 16-run win over the Netherlands in the qualifiers on Thursday (October 20), the onus was on Namibia to join them with a victory over UAE in Group A's last encounter.

After Sri Lanka made it to the Super 12 round, of the T20 World Cup, with a 16-run win over the Netherlands in the qualifiers on Thursday (October 20), the onus was on Namibia to join them with a victory over UAE in Group A's last encounter. Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka in their tournament opener, failed to chase a modest 149 and were restricted to 141 for 8 in 20 overs to lose by seven runs and miss out on a Super 12 berth. From Group A, Sri Lanka will join Pool A in the next round whereas the Dutch line-up will be a part of the Team India-starrer Pool B. Talking about the contest, UAE won the toss and opted to bat first. Riding on Muhammad Waseem's 41-ball 50, UAE were off to a cautious start. In the last few overs, the upped the ante courtesy of vital knocks from skipper Chundangapoyil Rizwan (29-ball 43) and Basil Hameed's 14-ball 25 not out. Namibia paid the price for leaking as many as 33 runs in the last 12 balls as UAE posted a competitive 149 for 3. In reply, Namibia were off to a nervy start and lost wickets at regular intervals to be reeling at 46 for 5. Their chase was going nowhere before all-rounder David Weise's 36-ball 55 and Ruben Trumpelmann's 24-ball 25 kept them alive. Weise's big hits brought the chase alive and infused an intense battle in the last few overs before he fell with his side needing 10 off 3 balls. ALSO READ | 'If they do not win this time...' - Sunil Gavaskar rates India's chances at T20 WC before Pakistan clash Waseem, who returned with the Player-of-the-Match award, kept his nerves to bowl a fantastic last over and conceded only half a dozen runs to take his side to a thrilling seven-run win as they bowed out of the showpiece event with a win from three games. For Namibia, they will be gutted about missing out on a Super 12 berth as they only needed a win to go past the Netherlands line-up and progress ahead. At the post-match presentation, UAE skipper CP Rizwan said, "A great moment for UAE cricket. I would like to thank our coach and the management. We had been doing well in patches, but today everything clicked together. (On Waseem's bowling at the death) He used to bowl a lot of death overs in our domestic cricket, and with the dew I backed my instinct of bowling medium pacers. This win is really big for UAE cricket, it can tell the world that we are here!"

T20 World Cup: David Wiese's 55 in vain as UAE eliminate Namibia, Netherlands enter Super 12

In a crucial game in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, Asian champions Sri Lanka were up against the Netherlands in a Group A clash. With two back-to-back wins, the Dutch line-up had the edge whereas Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lankan team had to win to keep their hopes of qualifying into the main draw of the tournament, which kicks off on October 22 (Saturday). In another thrilling clash during the qualifiers, the Sri Lankans kept their cool to beat the Netherlands by 16 runs and enter the Super 12 round. They have four points, along with the Netherlands, who will now wait for the outcome of the Namibia-UAE game to know their fate in the tournament.

Opting to bat first in a crucial game, Shanaka-led Sri Lanka were 36 for no loss but opener Patham Nissanka didn't get off to a flier. His stay in the middle was finally cut short after he was dismissed for 14 (21) but Kusal Mendis held one held.&nbsp;Charith Asalanka played a handy 30-ball 31 whereas hard-hitter Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 13-ball 19 not out and Mendis' late strikes took the Lankans to a competitive 162-6. Mendis remained unbeaten on 79 off 44 deliveries, laced with five fours and an equal number of sixes.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/amid-bcci-vs-pcb-for-asia-cup-kamran-akmal-calls-for-pakistan-to-boycott-t20-world-cup-clash-vs-india-526983">Amid BCCI vs PCB for Asia Cup, Kamran Akmal calls for Pakistan to boycott T20 World Cup clash vs India</a>

In reply, the Netherlands had nothing to lose and didn't have a tall total to chase. Yet, it was a tricky target against the Lankans, who were fired up given it was a do-or-die game for them. The Dutch didn't get off to a strong start as Vikramjit Singh fell for seven whereas the middle order didn't stand tall in the run-chase. Skipper&nbsp;Scott Edwards (15-ball 21) upped the ante by cleverly bisecting the field whereas opener&nbsp;Max ODowd held one end amid the regular fall of wickets. Lahiru Kumara and&nbsp;Binura Fernando picked a wicket each but the two spinners -- Wanindu Hasaranga (3 for 28) and Maheesh Theekshana (2 for 32) starred with the ball and kept Netherlands' run-chase under check.

With ODowd going bonkers versus Fernando and Theekshana, in the 18th and 19th over respectively, the match went down to the wire with SL needing 23 to defend off the last six balls.&nbsp;Kumara kept his cool and delivered for the one-time winners as they have now entered the Super 12.

If Namibia lose, the Netherlands will go through. On the other hand, Namibians will aim to get to four points with a victory over UAE. At present, the Netherlands have a negative NRR&nbsp;(-0.162) whereas Namibia's NRR is an impressive&nbsp;+1.277. Hence, it is an easy equation for Namibia. Win and go through.

In a crucial game in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, Asian champions Sri Lanka were up against the Netherlands in a Group A clash. With two back-to-back wins, the Dutch line-up had the edge whereas Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lankan team had to win to keep their hopes of qualifying into the main draw of the tournament, which kicks off on October 22 (Saturday).

In a crucial game in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, Asian champions Sri Lanka were up against the Netherlands in a Group A clash. With two back-to-back wins, the Dutch line-up had the edge whereas Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lankan team had to win to keep their hopes of qualifying into the main draw of the tournament, which kicks off on October 22 (Saturday). In another thrilling clash during the qualifiers, the Sri Lankans kept their cool to beat the Netherlands by 16 runs and enter the Super 12 round. They have four points, along with the Netherlands, who will now wait for the outcome of the Namibia-UAE game to know their fate in the tournament. Opting to bat first in a crucial game, Shanaka-led Sri Lanka were 36 for no loss but opener Patham Nissanka didn't get off to a flier. His stay in the middle was finally cut short after he was dismissed for 14 (21) but Kusal Mendis held one held. Charith Asalanka played a handy 30-ball 31 whereas hard-hitter Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 13-ball 19 not out and Mendis' late strikes took the Lankans to a competitive 162-6. Mendis remained unbeaten on 79 off 44 deliveries, laced with five fours and an equal number of sixes. ALSO READ | Amid BCCI vs PCB for Asia Cup, Kamran Akmal calls for Pakistan to boycott T20 World Cup clash vs India In reply, the Netherlands had nothing to lose and didn't have a tall total to chase. Yet, it was a tricky target against the Lankans, who were fired up given it was a do-or-die game for them. The Dutch didn't get off to a strong start as Vikramjit Singh fell for seven whereas the middle order didn't stand tall in the run-chase. Skipper Scott Edwards (15-ball 21) upped the ante by cleverly bisecting the field whereas opener Max ODowd held one end amid the regular fall of wickets. Lahiru Kumara and Binura Fernando picked a wicket each but the two spinners -- Wanindu Hasaranga (3 for 28) and Maheesh Theekshana (2 for 32) starred with the ball and kept Netherlands' run-chase under check. With ODowd going bonkers versus Fernando and Theekshana, in the 18th and 19th over respectively, the match went down to the wire with SL needing 23 to defend off the last six balls. Kumara kept his cool and delivered for the one-time winners as they have now entered the Super 12. If Namibia lose, the Netherlands will go through. On the other hand, Namibians will aim to get to four points with a victory over UAE. At present, the Netherlands have a negative NRR (-0.162) whereas Namibia's NRR is an impressive +1.277. Hence, it is an easy equation for Namibia. Win and go through.

T20 World Cup: Asian champions Sri Lanka beat Netherlands by 16 runs to enter Super 12 round

The T20 World Cup (T20 WC) 2022 edition started with a bang. The one-time winners and current Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka lost to Namibia in their opening game of the qualifying round whereas two-time champions West Indies went down to Scotland, by 42 runs, in their tournament opener. West Indies defeated Zimbabwe by 31 runs on Wednesday (October 19) to spice things up in Group B, the Dasun Shanaka-led Islanders also got off the mark in the showpiece event, in Australia, with a win over UAE a day before.

Sri Lanka might have opened their account in the mega event, however, they still have lots to do in order to progress into the Super 12 round. They face Netherlands, who beat Namibia and the UAE, in their last encounter and it is a do-or-die game for the 2014 champions. Ahead of their crucial tie, here's how SL can make it to the next round of the competition.

EXPLAINED: How Sri Lanka can enter Super 12 round

At present, Sri Lanka occupy the third position in Group A, with a one and a loss and an NRR of +0.600. A win will see them go achieve four points and will&nbsp;better either Netherlands or Namibia, on run rate or points basis. The margin of error is very less for Shanaka &amp; Co. as a defeat&nbsp;will all but end their journey in the eighth edition of the T20 WC.

Given how rain has&nbsp;already played spoilsport in the ongoing edition, if weather god does not permit a game, then SL&nbsp;could face elimination incase of Namibia's win over UAE in the remaining Group A clash. In case both the matches are abandoned due to rain, the Lankans will be on their way back home due to a poor NRR than Namibia and having lesser points than current table-toppers Netherlands.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Namibia will go through with a win over UAE irrespective of the outcome in the SL-Netherlands' face-off.&nbsp;If both Sri Lanka and Namibia win, it will see all the three teams such as Netherlands, Namibia and the Lankans on four points each. In such a scenario, the latter two will proceed ahead. The Dutch side will suffer due to their narrow wins so far in the competition.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/their-tummies-are-visible-lower-are-heavy-misbah-ul-haq-unimpressed-with-pakistans-fitness-standards-526814">'Their tummies are visible, lower are heavy': Misbah-ul-Haq unimpressed with Pakistan's fitness standards</a>

Facing UAE, on Tuesday, Patham Nissanka's 74 and three-fers each from Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera starred in SL's 79-run win over UAE. Being asked to bat first, the one-time winners posted 152-8 before dismissing the opposition for a paltry 73 all-out in 17.1 overs.

At the post-match presentation, Shanaka said, "They (crowd) are following us everywhere we go. I'd like to thank them. Really disappointed with the way we ended the innings (with the bat). We could have scored 180-190. The tone was set upfront, but Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) and I didn't click. It was important to tick with a win, we focused on a win only. He (Pathum Nissanka ) is outstanding, his focus is to bat through the innings. I'm happy for him. (When asked about Chameera's injury) Hopefully everything will be fine."

The T20 World Cup (T20 WC) 2022 edition started with a bang. The one-time winners and current Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka lost to Namibia in their opening game of the qualifying round whereas two-time champions West Indies went down to Scotland, by 42 runs, in their tournament opener.

The T20 World Cup (T20 WC) 2022 edition started with a bang. The one-time winners and current Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka lost to Namibia in their opening game of the qualifying round whereas two-time champions West Indies went down to Scotland, by 42 runs, in their tournament opener. West Indies defeated Zimbabwe by 31 runs on Wednesday (October 19) to spice things up in Group B, the Dasun Shanaka-led Islanders also got off the mark in the showpiece event, in Australia, with a win over UAE a day before. Sri Lanka might have opened their account in the mega event, however, they still have lots to do in order to progress into the Super 12 round. They face Netherlands, who beat Namibia and the UAE, in their last encounter and it is a do-or-die game for the 2014 champions. Ahead of their crucial tie, here's how SL can make it to the next round of the competition. EXPLAINED: How Sri Lanka can enter Super 12 round At present, Sri Lanka occupy the third position in Group A, with a one and a loss and an NRR of +0.600. A win will see them go achieve four points and will better either Netherlands or Namibia, on run rate or points basis. The margin of error is very less for Shanaka & Co. as a defeat will all but end their journey in the eighth edition of the T20 WC. Given how rain has already played spoilsport in the ongoing edition, if weather god does not permit a game, then SL could face elimination incase of Namibia's win over UAE in the remaining Group A clash. In case both the matches are abandoned due to rain, the Lankans will be on their way back home due to a poor NRR than Namibia and having lesser points than current table-toppers Netherlands. On the other hand, Namibia will go through with a win over UAE irrespective of the outcome in the SL-Netherlands' face-off. If both Sri Lanka and Namibia win, it will see all the three teams such as Netherlands, Namibia and the Lankans on four points each. In such a scenario, the latter two will proceed ahead. The Dutch side will suffer due to their narrow wins so far in the competition. ALSO READ | 'Their tummies are visible, lower are heavy': Misbah-ul-Haq unimpressed with Pakistan's fitness standards Facing UAE, on Tuesday, Patham Nissanka's 74 and three-fers each from Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera starred in SL's 79-run win over UAE. Being asked to bat first, the one-time winners posted 152-8 before dismissing the opposition for a paltry 73 all-out in 17.1 overs. At the post-match presentation, Shanaka said, "They (crowd) are following us everywhere we go. I'd like to thank them. Really disappointed with the way we ended the innings (with the bat). We could have scored 180-190. The tone was set upfront, but Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) and I didn't click. It was important to tick with a win, we focused on a win only. He (Pathum Nissanka ) is outstanding, his focus is to bat through the innings. I'm happy for him. (When asked about Chameera's injury) Hopefully everything will be fine."

T20 World Cup: Ahead of do-or die game vs Netherlands, here's how Sri Lanka can enter Super 12 round

After a defeat at the hands of Scotland, two-time winners West Indies faced Zimbabwe in their second game at the T20 World Cup (T20 WC) qualifiers at the&nbsp;Bellerive Oval, Hobart on Wednesday (October 19). In a must-win clash, WI pacers took centre stage with Alzarri Jospeh (4 for 16) and all-rounder Jason Holder (3 for 12) standing tall in their side's defence of 153-7.

Nicholas Pooran-led West Indies opted to bat first and got off to a measured start, following their flop show with the bat versus the Scotland side. Johnson Charles (43), Rovman Powell's 21-ball 28 and&nbsp;Akeal Hosein's 18-ball 23 not out took WI to a respectable total, 153 for 7, although they were certainly short of 15-20, at least, at the halfway stage. From Zimbabwe,&nbsp;Sikandar Raza (3 for 19) and Blessing Muzarabani (2 for 38) restricted the run-flow and curtailed Windies to a moderate score.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-kapil-dev-concerned-with-indias-chances-of-making-it-to-top-4-ahead-of-pakistan-clash-526684">T20 World Cup: Kapil Dev 'concerned' with India's chances of making it to top 4 ahead of Pakistan clash</a>

Given WI were in desperate need for a win to stay&nbsp;in touch with the rest of the teams in Group B, in the qualifiers, their pacers stood tall with Joseph removing the likes of&nbsp;Regis Chakabva and Tony Munyonga, Odean Smith dismissed in-form batter Raza whereas senior pro Holder also accounted for three key scalps.&nbsp;Luke Jongwe fought hard with an impressive 22-ball 29 but the damage was long done as early blows pushed the African side on the back foot.

With this result, Group B is evenly poised with all teams having two points each. WI will next face Ireland whereas Zimbabwe will lock horns with Scotland, with both the games on Friday (October 21).

WHAT THEY SAID

Joseph, at the post-match presentation, stated, "It is very encouraging but the job is not done. We have another game and have to win it to get to the main tournament. It is all about pulling it back for the team, trying to get an early wicket and if not keep it tight. It (the yorker) took a lot of work but it all depends on the batter and how they move in the crease, for me it is about keeping the ball close to the batter. With the new ball it (the conditions) was pretty good but it still was a good wicket for cricket. All in all happy with the performance and the team put in a big effort today."

On the other hand, skipper Pooran said, "How to explain this. We spoke yesterday and knew we had to do well as a batting group. Enough is enough. Had to take responsibility. Times like this we create our own luck. Akeal and Rovman put in that partnership at the end. Mayers is the one who can actually swing the ball. Unfortunately he didn't get it right. But we back him. We are learning together and that's what's important. He's the most experienced bowler we have here (Holder). Joseph, not only now, but since the beginning of the year. It's exciting times for WI cricket. They're young players. Things aren't happening for me. But everything happens for a reason."

After a defeat at the hands of Scotland, two-time winners West Indies faced Zimbabwe in their second game at the T20 World Cup (T20 WC) qualifiers at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart on Wednesday (October 19).

After a defeat at the hands of Scotland, two-time winners West Indies faced Zimbabwe in their second game at the T20 World Cup (T20 WC) qualifiers at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart on Wednesday (October 19). In a must-win clash, WI pacers took centre stage with Alzarri Jospeh (4 for 16) and all-rounder Jason Holder (3 for 12) standing tall in their side's defence of 153-7. Nicholas Pooran-led West Indies opted to bat first and got off to a measured start, following their flop show with the bat versus the Scotland side. Johnson Charles (43), Rovman Powell's 21-ball 28 and Akeal Hosein's 18-ball 23 not out took WI to a respectable total, 153 for 7, although they were certainly short of 15-20, at least, at the halfway stage. From Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza (3 for 19) and Blessing Muzarabani (2 for 38) restricted the run-flow and curtailed Windies to a moderate score. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Kapil Dev 'concerned' with India's chances of making it to top 4 ahead of Pakistan clash Given WI were in desperate need for a win to stay in touch with the rest of the teams in Group B, in the qualifiers, their pacers stood tall with Joseph removing the likes of Regis Chakabva and Tony Munyonga, Odean Smith dismissed in-form batter Raza whereas senior pro Holder also accounted for three key scalps. Luke Jongwe fought hard with an impressive 22-ball 29 but the damage was long done as early blows pushed the African side on the back foot. With this result, Group B is evenly poised with all teams having two points each. WI will next face Ireland whereas Zimbabwe will lock horns with Scotland, with both the games on Friday (October 21). WHAT THEY SAID Joseph, at the post-match presentation, stated, "It is very encouraging but the job is not done. We have another game and have to win it to get to the main tournament. It is all about pulling it back for the team, trying to get an early wicket and if not keep it tight. It (the yorker) took a lot of work but it all depends on the batter and how they move in the crease, for me it is about keeping the ball close to the batter. With the new ball it (the conditions) was pretty good but it still was a good wicket for cricket. All in all happy with the performance and the team put in a big effort today." On the other hand, skipper Pooran said, "How to explain this. We spoke yesterday and knew we had to do well as a batting group. Enough is enough. Had to take responsibility. Times like this we create our own luck. Akeal and Rovman put in that partnership at the end. Mayers is the one who can actually swing the ball. Unfortunately he didn't get it right. But we back him. We are learning together and that's what's important. He's the most experienced bowler we have here (Holder). Joseph, not only now, but since the beginning of the year. It's exciting times for WI cricket. They're young players. Things aren't happening for me. But everything happens for a reason."

T20 WC: Alzarri Joseph stars in WI's win over Zimbabwe, two-time winners remain alive in competition

From epic bowl-out to 2021's one-sided tie: Reliving T20 World Cup clashes between India and Pakistan

Netherlands beat Namibia in a low-scoring thriller during the qualifying round of the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Tuesday (October 18). After a hard-fought win over UAE in their first game, Netherlands faced a high-spirited Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka in their opening fixture.

Opting to bat first, at the Simonds Stadium, Geelong, the Namibian inning didn't find the any kind of momentum.&nbsp;Courtesy of Jan Frylinck (43) and some contributions from the likes of Michael van Lingen, Stephan Baard, skipper Gerhard&nbsp;Erasmus and David Wiese's 5-ball 11 not out, they managed a paltry score of 121 for 6 in 20 overs. From Netherlands' perspective, Bas de Leede accounted for 2 for 18 whereas Tim Pringle, Colin Ackermann, Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe chipped in with a wicket each.

In reply, Netherlands' top three adapted to the nature of the surface and their vital knocks led their side to a thriling five-wicket win, with three balls to spare. Max ODowd (35), Vikramjit Singh (39) and Bas de Leede's run-a-ball 30 not out ensured their side beat Namibia to move closer to the Super 12 round of the competition in Australia.&nbsp;

While JJ Smit took 2 for 24 and opened the contest, Namibia batters' dismal showing led to their defeat.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/individual-records-have-no-value-in-big-tournaments-gautam-gambhirs-advice-to-virat-kohli-ahead-of-t20-wc-526399">Individual records have no value in big tournaments: Gautam Gambhir's advice to Virat Kohli ahead of T20 WC</a>

<p ng-bind-html="comm[ts].comm" ng-class="get_comm_class(comm[ts]) " ng-hide="comm[ts].geo != null &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.length &gt; 0 &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">What they said:

<p ng-bind-html="comm[ts].comm" ng-class="get_comm_class(comm[ts]) " ng-hide="comm[ts].geo != null &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.length &gt; 0 &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">Bas De Leede | POTM: I think I could take a bit of experience from two days ago. We lost wickets at the end, we had to deal with it. We lost&nbsp;wickets at bad times. We can't afford to do that and we can learn from that as a team. The self belief has always been there and it's nice to win two tight games. Maybe it opens up a bit more freedom for the boys.

<p ng-bind-html="comm[ts].comm" ng-class="get_comm_class(comm[ts]) " ng-hide="comm[ts].geo != null &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.length &gt; 0 &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">Scott Edwards | Netherlands captain:&nbsp;We're known as a side that plays hard till the last few balls. We did well in terms of front-loading the runs. We knew that Namibia has some good death bowlers in these conditions. It got a bit closer than we'd have liked, but it's still good. It's about now winning that third game of cricket.

<p ng-bind-html="comm[ts].comm" ng-class="get_comm_class(comm[ts]) " ng-hide="comm[ts].geo != null &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.length &gt; 0 &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">Gerhard&nbsp;Erasmus | Namibia skipper:&nbsp;Never nice to be on the losing side when it's so close. We put a good show in the field. With the bat, it seemed difficult for both sides but they ran better than us. There were enough stages in the game where we didn't put enough contact on the bat and didn't move things better.

Netherlands beat Namibia in a low-scoring thriller during the qualifying round of the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Tuesday (October 18). After a hard-fought win over UAE in their first game, Netherlands faced a high-spirited Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka in their opening fixture.

Netherlands beat Namibia in a low-scoring thriller during the qualifying round of the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, on Tuesday (October 18). After a hard-fought win over UAE in their first game, Netherlands faced a high-spirited Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka in their opening fixture. Opting to bat first, at the Simonds Stadium, Geelong, the Namibian inning didn't find the any kind of momentum. Courtesy of Jan Frylinck (43) and some contributions from the likes of Michael van Lingen, Stephan Baard, skipper Gerhard Erasmus and David Wiese's 5-ball 11 not out, they managed a paltry score of 121 for 6 in 20 overs. From Netherlands' perspective, Bas de Leede accounted for 2 for 18 whereas Tim Pringle, Colin Ackermann, Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe chipped in with a wicket each. In reply, Netherlands' top three adapted to the nature of the surface and their vital knocks led their side to a thriling five-wicket win, with three balls to spare. Max ODowd (35), Vikramjit Singh (39) and Bas de Leede's run-a-ball 30 not out ensured their side beat Namibia to move closer to the Super 12 round of the competition in Australia. While JJ Smit took 2 for 24 and opened the contest, Namibia batters' dismal showing led to their defeat. ALSO READ | Individual records have no value in big tournaments: Gautam Gambhir's advice to Virat Kohli ahead of T20 WC What they said: Bas De Leede | POTM: I think I could take a bit of experience from two days ago. We lost wickets at the end, we had to deal with it. We lost wickets at bad times. We can't afford to do that and we can learn from that as a team. The self belief has always been there and it's nice to win two tight games. Maybe it opens up a bit more freedom for the boys. Scott Edwards | Netherlands captain: We're known as a side that plays hard till the last few balls. We did well in terms of front-loading the runs. We knew that Namibia has some good death bowlers in these conditions. It got a bit closer than we'd have liked, but it's still good. It's about now winning that third game of cricket. Gerhard Erasmus | Namibia skipper: Never nice to be on the losing side when it's so close. We put a good show in the field. With the bat, it seemed difficult for both sides but they ran better than us. There were enough stages in the game where we didn't put enough contact on the bat and didn't move things better.

T20 World Cup: Bas de Leede's all-round blitz helps Netherlands beat Namibia in low-scoring thriller

On Monday (October 17), Team India locked horns with Australia in the warm-up tie in Brisbane ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 22.&nbsp;Rohit Sharma-led India were asked to bat first at The Gabba, Brisbane and rode on fifties from KL Rahul (57) and Suryakumar Yadav (50) to post a competitive 186-7 in 20 overs. In reply, Australia were bundled out for 180 in 20 overs with Mohammed Shami shining with the ball, returning with 1-0-4-3.&nbsp;

After India's 6-run win, the players stayed back and watched the proceedings for Pakistan-England warm-up encounter, also played at the same venue. Here are the pictures:&nbsp;

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Indian team watching Pakistan vs England warm-up at Gabba. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZVk9YnmEly">pic.twitter.com/ZVk9YnmEly</a>
— #T20WorldCup2022 #PAKvENG #PAKvNZ #PAKvNZ (@PAKSport_Tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/PAKSport_Tv/status/1581926011872350208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Team india watching Pakistan vs England warmup match in the stadium <a href="https://t.co/YuTX7Dp8Fc">pic.twitter.com/YuTX7Dp8Fc</a>
— Maryam 🦋 (@maryam____56) <a href="https://twitter.com/maryam____56/status/1581929115720241152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/well-yeah-i-did-matthew-wade-accepts-blame-for-obstructing-play-during-australia-england-t20i-526169">'Well, yeah, I did': Matthew Wade accepts blame for obstructing play during Australia-England T20I</a>

&nbsp;

Pakistan players were also seen watching the India-Australia warm-up game, prior to their face-off versus Jos Buttler &amp; Co. Talking about their clash, Pakistan were asked to bat first and made 160-8 in rain-curtailed 19-over contest. In reply, England chased down the score in 14.4 overs, with vital knocks from Ben Stokes (36), Harry Brooks (45 not out), Liam Livingstone (28) and Sam Curran (33*).&nbsp;

Both India and Pakistan will lock horns in their respective Super 12 openers at the MCG, Melbourne on October 23 (Sunday). Meanwhile, England and Australia are placed in Pool A and will meet at the same venue on October 28.

On Monday (October 17), Team India locked horns with Australia in the warm-up tie in Brisbane ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 22.

On Monday (October 17), Team India locked horns with Australia in the warm-up tie in Brisbane ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 22. Rohit Sharma-led India were asked to bat first at The Gabba, Brisbane and rode on fifties from KL Rahul (57) and Suryakumar Yadav (50) to post a competitive 186-7 in 20 overs. In reply, Australia were bundled out for 180 in 20 overs with Mohammed Shami shining with the ball, returning with 1-0-4-3. After India's 6-run win, the players stayed back and watched the proceedings for Pakistan-England warm-up encounter, also played at the same venue. Here are the pictures: Indian team watching Pakistan vs England warm-up at Gabba. #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/ZVk9YnmEly — #T20WorldCup2022 #PAKvENG #PAKvNZ #PAKvNZ (@PAKSport_Tv) October 17, 2022 × Team india watching Pakistan vs England warmup match in the stadium pic.twitter.com/YuTX7Dp8Fc — Maryam 🦋 (@maryam____56) October 17, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Well, yeah, I did': Matthew Wade accepts blame for obstructing play during Australia-England T20I Pakistan players were also seen watching the India-Australia warm-up game, prior to their face-off versus Jos Buttler & Co. Talking about their clash, Pakistan were asked to bat first and made 160-8 in rain-curtailed 19-over contest. In reply, England chased down the score in 14.4 overs, with vital knocks from Ben Stokes (36), Harry Brooks (45 not out), Liam Livingstone (28) and Sam Curran (33*). Both India and Pakistan will lock horns in their respective Super 12 openers at the MCG, Melbourne on October 23 (Sunday). Meanwhile, England and Australia are placed in Pool A and will meet at the same venue on October 28.

T20 World Cup 2022: Team India players stay back to watch Pakistan vs England warm-up game in Brisbane

Rohit Sharma-led India is set to kick off their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition with their first game versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Team India reached Australia for the showpiece event early this month and have already played three warm-up games, with two against Western Australia XI.&nbsp;

Winning two of their three warm-up games, so far, India will meet New Zealand on October 19 (Wednesday) at Brisbane in their last practice game before their opening fixture in the main draw of the tournament. For India, they enter the ICC event as the No. 1 ranked side and have been in form in T20Is since their debacle in last year's edition. The likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Suryakumar Yadav, etc. will be crucial to India's chances Down Under.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohli-pulls-off-one-handed-screamer-on-boundary-rope-in-warm-up-game-against-australia-526072">WATCH: Virat Kohli pulls off one-handed screamer on boundary rope in warm-up game against Australia</a>

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Md Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Shardul Thakur, Md Siraj

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mohammed-shamis-last-over-heroics-help-india-beat-australia-by-6-runs-in-warm-up-match-526057">Mohammed Shami's last-over heroics help India beat Australia by 6 runs in warm-up match</a>

While the 15-man main squad and reserve list have plenty of match-winners for Team India, here's looking at Men in Blue's star-studded XI featuring players who are not part of the showpiece event Down Under:

India's missed-out XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Venketesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Ravindra Jadeja, Umran Malik, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

The above XI shows the depth of India's squad and the abundance of talent in the Indian camp. The experienced trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah missed out with the latter two being injured whereas Dhawan has been sidelined from T20Is. The younger lot such as Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan are destined to take over from the likes of KL Rahul, Rohit and Kohli but for now, they didn't find a spot.&nbsp;

Chahar missed out again due to back issues after being named in the reserves. Meanwhile, Samson and Kuldeep are part of the second-stringed white-ball Indian team but weren't considered for the T20 WC. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer went down the pecking order as soon as Hardik Pandya was deemed fully fit in early 2022.

Lastly, Umran has featured in only a handful of T20Is, indicating that he still needs to learn a lot and more exposure to be considered for such a marquee event.

Rohit Sharma-led India is set to kick off their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition with their first game versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne.

Rohit Sharma-led India is set to kick off their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition with their first game versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Team India reached Australia for the showpiece event early this month and have already played three warm-up games, with two against Western Australia XI. Winning two of their three warm-up games, so far, India will meet New Zealand on October 19 (Wednesday) at Brisbane in their last practice game before their opening fixture in the main draw of the tournament. For India, they enter the ICC event as the No. 1 ranked side and have been in form in T20Is since their debacle in last year's edition. The likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Suryakumar Yadav, etc. will be crucial to India's chances Down Under. ALSO READ | WATCH: Virat Kohli pulls off one-handed screamer on boundary rope in warm-up game against Australia India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Md Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Shardul Thakur, Md Siraj ALSO READ | Mohammed Shami's last-over heroics help India beat Australia by 6 runs in warm-up match While the 15-man main squad and reserve list have plenty of match-winners for Team India, here's looking at Men in Blue's star-studded XI featuring players who are not part of the showpiece event Down Under: India's missed-out XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Venketesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Ravindra Jadeja, Umran Malik, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah The above XI shows the depth of India's squad and the abundance of talent in the Indian camp. The experienced trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah missed out with the latter two being injured whereas Dhawan has been sidelined from T20Is. The younger lot such as Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan are destined to take over from the likes of KL Rahul, Rohit and Kohli but for now, they didn't find a spot. Chahar missed out again due to back issues after being named in the reserves. Meanwhile, Samson and Kuldeep are part of the second-stringed white-ball Indian team but weren't considered for the T20 WC. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer went down the pecking order as soon as Hardik Pandya was deemed fully fit in early 2022. Lastly, Umran has featured in only a handful of T20Is, indicating that he still needs to learn a lot and more exposure to be considered for such a marquee event.

From Shikhar Dhawan to Jasprit Bumrah: Star players who are not part of India's T20 World Cup squad

From Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma: Superstar batters who could be playing their last T20 World Cup

When Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, Shoaib Malik's name had no mention. The veteran all-rounder, who captained Pakistan in the inaugural edition in 2007, has played most T20Is for the Men in Green and is a huge name in franchise world to date.

Given Babar Azam &amp; Co.'s middle-order issues, which led them to lose the Asia Cup 2022 final and the home T20Is versus England, many expected Malik to be a part of the squad. His vast experience and understanding of the format would've helped Pakistan. It is to be noted that he was part of their squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he slammed an impressive 18-ball 54 versus Scotland. Nonetheless, he last played for the national side in November 2021 and remains out of the team for the marquee event as well.

Following his T20 WC snub, the 40-year-old Malik finally broke his silence and said on Samaa TV, "Dekhiye mera kaam hain cricket khelna jaha pe bhi mujhe opportunity mile. Select karna, na karna woh team management, selection committee ya PCB ka hain. Mera hain ki jaha opportunity mile main woh avail karne ki koshish karu and acha perform karne ki koshish karu. Mujhe kisise koi problem nehi hain. Main kisike koi against nehi hu kyumki positive rehna has been a major reason behind the success in my career&nbsp;(See, my job is to play cricket wherever I am presented with opportunities. To select me is solely on the team management selection committee and the PCB. I am to do well whenever given a chance and don't have any problems with anybody. I am not against anybody because remaining positive has been a major reason behind my success)."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-visit-to-pakistan-for-2023-asia-cup-subject-to-govt-clearance-on-bccis-agenda-report-525357">India's visit to Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, subject to govt clearance, on BCCI's agenda: Report</a>

Malik further opened up on his equation with captain Babar and said, "We have been in touch consistently. Yes, earlier we used to talk more, but now he is a skipper and one should give him that space. Main khud iss cheez se guzra hu. Isiliye maine aajtak koi pressure nehi dala na kabhi dalunga na kabhi convince karne ki koshish karunga (I've gone through all this myself. Hence, I won't pressurise him or anyone or convince them to select me)."

On Friday (October 14), Pakistan won the New Zealand T20I tri-series and will now play two warm-up games ahead of their T20 WC 2022 opening clash, where they face India on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne.&nbsp;

When Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, Shoaib Malik's name had no mention. The veteran all-rounder, who captained Pakistan in the inaugural edition in 2007, has played most T20Is for the Men in Green and is a huge name in franchise world to date.

When Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, Shoaib Malik's name had no mention. The veteran all-rounder, who captained Pakistan in the inaugural edition in 2007, has played most T20Is for the Men in Green and is a huge name in franchise world to date. Given Babar Azam & Co.'s middle-order issues, which led them to lose the Asia Cup 2022 final and the home T20Is versus England, many expected Malik to be a part of the squad. His vast experience and understanding of the format would've helped Pakistan. It is to be noted that he was part of their squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he slammed an impressive 18-ball 54 versus Scotland. Nonetheless, he last played for the national side in November 2021 and remains out of the team for the marquee event as well. Following his T20 WC snub, the 40-year-old Malik finally broke his silence and said on Samaa TV, "Dekhiye mera kaam hain cricket khelna jaha pe bhi mujhe opportunity mile. Select karna, na karna woh team management, selection committee ya PCB ka hain. Mera hain ki jaha opportunity mile main woh avail karne ki koshish karu and acha perform karne ki koshish karu. Mujhe kisise koi problem nehi hain. Main kisike koi against nehi hu kyumki positive rehna has been a major reason behind the success in my career (See, my job is to play cricket wherever I am presented with opportunities. To select me is solely on the team management selection committee and the PCB. I am to do well whenever given a chance and don't have any problems with anybody. I am not against anybody because remaining positive has been a major reason behind my success)." ALSO READ | India's visit to Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, subject to govt clearance, on BCCI's agenda: Report Malik further opened up on his equation with captain Babar and said, "We have been in touch consistently. Yes, earlier we used to talk more, but now he is a skipper and one should give him that space. Main khud iss cheez se guzra hu. Isiliye maine aajtak koi pressure nehi dala na kabhi dalunga na kabhi convince karne ki koshish karunga (I've gone through all this myself. Hence, I won't pressurise him or anyone or convince them to select me)." On Friday (October 14), Pakistan won the New Zealand T20I tri-series and will now play two warm-up games ahead of their T20 WC 2022 opening clash, where they face India on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne.

Won't pressurise Babar Azam: Shoaib Malik on T20 WC snub, says 'don’t have problems with anybody'

Team India left for Australia early in October in a bid to get accustomed to the conditions Down Under, ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will commence their campaign in the forthcoming showpiece event in Australia by locking horns with Pakistan in the upcoming ICC event, on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Ahead of their trip to Melbourne, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue are in Perth where they play two warm-up encounters versus Western Australia XI.

The first of the two T20Is versus Western Australia XI was held on Monday (October 10), where Rohit &amp; Co. won by 13 runs riding on Suryakumar Yadav's 53 and Arshdeep Singh's 3-1-6-3. After this, India will play another game versus the Western Australia XI before facing Australia and New Zealand, respectively, in their remaining warm-up encounters in the run-up to their opening T20 WC clash, versus Pakistan.

Here's everything to know about India's warm-up schedule before T20 World Cup

Schedule, venues, and timings in IST

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Date</td>
			<td>Match</td>
			<td>Venues</td>
			<td>Timings (IST)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10-10-2022</td>
			<td>India vs Western Australia XI</td>
			<td>The WACA, Perth</td>
			<td>11 AM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>13-10-2022</td>
			<td>India vs Western Australia XI</td>
			<td>The WACA, Perth</td>
			<td>11 AM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>17-10-2022</td>
			<td>India vs Australia</td>
			<td>Gabba, Brisbane</td>
			<td>9:30 AM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>19-10-2022</td>
			<td>India vs New Zealand</td>
			<td>Gabba, Brisbane</td>
			<td>1:30 PM</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suryakumar-yadav-and-arshdeep-singh-star-as-india-beat-western-australia-xi-by-13-runs-in-warm-up-match-524078">Suryakumar Yadav and Arshdeep Singh star as India beat Western Australia XI by 13 runs in warm-up match</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suryakumar-yadav-and-arshdeep-singh-star-as-india-beat-western-australia-xi-by-13-runs-in-warm-up-match-524078">Squads</a>

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Pat Cummins (vc), Ashton Agar, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), David Warner, Adam Zampa.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tim Southee (vc), Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen.

Western Australia: Darcy Short, Nick Hobson, Aaron Hardie, Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Turner, Sam Fanning, Hamish McKenzie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Matt Kelly, David Moody.

India T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up matches: Live Streaming and Telecast details

The two warm-up fixtures against Western Australia XI's live streaming is likely on the&nbsp;Western Australia YouTube Channel (there&nbsp;is no official confirmation). The warm-up matches against Australia and New Zealand will be telecast on Star Sports Network whereas the live streaming will be provided on Disney+ Hotstar.

Team India left for Australia early in October in a bid to get accustomed to the conditions Down Under, ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma & Co. will commence their campaign in the forthcoming showpiece event in Australia by locking horns with Pakistan in the upcoming ICC event, on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne.

Team India left for Australia early in October in a bid to get accustomed to the conditions Down Under, ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma & Co. will commence their campaign in the forthcoming showpiece event in Australia by locking horns with Pakistan in the upcoming ICC event, on October 23 at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. Ahead of their trip to Melbourne, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue are in Perth where they play two warm-up encounters versus Western Australia XI. The first of the two T20Is versus Western Australia XI was held on Monday (October 10), where Rohit & Co. won by 13 runs riding on Suryakumar Yadav's 53 and Arshdeep Singh's 3-1-6-3. After this, India will play another game versus the Western Australia XI before facing Australia and New Zealand, respectively, in their remaining warm-up encounters in the run-up to their opening T20 WC clash, versus Pakistan. Here's everything to know about India's warm-up schedule before T20 World Cup Schedule, venues, and timings in IST Date Match Venues Timings (IST) 10-10-2022 India vs Western Australia XI The WACA, Perth 11 AM 13-10-2022 India vs Western Australia XI The WACA, Perth 11 AM 17-10-2022 India vs Australia Gabba, Brisbane 9:30 AM 19-10-2022 India vs New Zealand Gabba, Brisbane 1:30 PM ALSO READ | Suryakumar Yadav and Arshdeep Singh star as India beat Western Australia XI by 13 runs in warm-up match Squads India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh. Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Pat Cummins (vc), Ashton Agar, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), David Warner, Adam Zampa. New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tim Southee (vc), Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen. Western Australia: Darcy Short, Nick Hobson, Aaron Hardie, Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Turner, Sam Fanning, Hamish McKenzie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Matt Kelly, David Moody. India T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up matches: Live Streaming and Telecast details The two warm-up fixtures against Western Australia XI's live streaming is likely on the Western Australia YouTube Channel (there is no official confirmation). The warm-up matches against Australia and New Zealand will be telecast on Star Sports Network whereas the live streaming will be provided on Disney+ Hotstar.

T20 World Cup 2022, India's warm-up schedule: Squad, venues, timings, telecast - All you need to know

Pakistan and India are set to lock horns in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia. While the qualifiers begin on October 16, the main draw of the competition will kick off on October 22 with India and Pakistan meeting each other at the iconic MCG, Melbourne on October 23.

In the last one year, the two senior men's sides have met thrice, with Babar Azam &amp; Co. having a 2-1 lead. In the one game that Men in Green lost to Rohit Sharma-led India, they were close to winning that encounter as well before Hardik Pandya's last-over heroics sealed the deal for Team India during the group stage encounter at the 2022 Asia Cup.

Before India and Pakistan meet again, on October 23 at the MCG,&nbsp;PCB chief Ramiz Raja made heads turn with his recent remarks. The former Pakistan captain is of the opinion that India once used to take the field with the notion that their arch-rivals will never be able to beat them.&nbsp;

"It is a mental match more than skill and talent. So, if you are temperamentally strong, mentally focused and not willing to give up, then any small team can defeat a bigger opposition and Pakistan have been underdogs whenever they have competed against India, but of late, they have started respecting us because they had a gut feeling that Pakistan would never be able to beat us," Raja had said while&nbsp;speaking on Dawn News.

In the 2021 T20 WC, Pakistan had hammered India by ten wickets to earn their maiden win over the neighbouring country in World Cup history.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/billion-dollar-team-india-have-started-respecting-pakistan-after-recent-results-says-pcb-chief-ramiz-raja-523515">'Billion-dollar team' India have started respecting Pakistan after recent results, says PCB chief Ramiz Raja</a>

After India's practice game versus Western Australia XI, where Rohit &amp; Co. won by 13 runs, off-spinner R Ashwin responded to Ramiz's recent statements. "Until you said that, I didnt know he made a statement like that. That's one way of dealing with it," Ashwin was quoted as saying after India's warm-up match in Perth on Monday (October 10).

He further opined, "But look, it's a game of cricket. Whatever political tensions and whatever stays between the teams, the rivalry is big, it means a lot to the people from both countries. But at the end of the day, whatever you may say as a cricketer and as someone who is playing the sport, you do understand that wins and losses are part of the game, especially in this format, the margins are going to be so close."

Ashwin added, "To respect an opposition is not something that comes with victories and defeats. It comes in the way you are made. We definitely respect that Pakistani side and so do they."

Pakistan and India are set to lock horns in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia. While the qualifiers begin on October 16, the main draw of the competition will kick off on October 22 with India and Pakistan meeting each other at the iconic MCG, Melbourne on October 23.

Pakistan and India are set to lock horns in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia. While the qualifiers begin on October 16, the main draw of the competition will kick off on October 22 with India and Pakistan meeting each other at the iconic MCG, Melbourne on October 23. In the last one year, the two senior men's sides have met thrice, with Babar Azam & Co. having a 2-1 lead. In the one game that Men in Green lost to Rohit Sharma-led India, they were close to winning that encounter as well before Hardik Pandya's last-over heroics sealed the deal for Team India during the group stage encounter at the 2022 Asia Cup. Before India and Pakistan meet again, on October 23 at the MCG, PCB chief Ramiz Raja made heads turn with his recent remarks. The former Pakistan captain is of the opinion that India once used to take the field with the notion that their arch-rivals will never be able to beat them. "It is a mental match more than skill and talent. So, if you are temperamentally strong, mentally focused and not willing to give up, then any small team can defeat a bigger opposition and Pakistan have been underdogs whenever they have competed against India, but of late, they have started respecting us because they had a gut feeling that Pakistan would never be able to beat us," Raja had said while speaking on Dawn News. In the 2021 T20 WC, Pakistan had hammered India by ten wickets to earn their maiden win over the neighbouring country in World Cup history. ALSO READ | 'Billion-dollar team' India have started respecting Pakistan after recent results, says PCB chief Ramiz Raja After India's practice game versus Western Australia XI, where Rohit & Co. won by 13 runs, off-spinner R Ashwin responded to Ramiz's recent statements. "Until you said that, I didnt know he made a statement like that. That's one way of dealing with it," Ashwin was quoted as saying after India's warm-up match in Perth on Monday (October 10). He further opined, "But look, it's a game of cricket. Whatever political tensions and whatever stays between the teams, the rivalry is big, it means a lot to the people from both countries. But at the end of the day, whatever you may say as a cricketer and as someone who is playing the sport, you do understand that wins and losses are part of the game, especially in this format, the margins are going to be so close." Ashwin added, "To respect an opposition is not something that comes with victories and defeats. It comes in the way you are made. We definitely respect that Pakistani side and so do they."

To respect an opposition doesn't come with victories & defeats: R Ashwin reacts to Ramiz Raja's remarks

Rohit Sharma-led India recently left for Australia, after their three T20Is versus South Africa at home, for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting on October 16. Rohit &amp; Co. will hope to win the title for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2007.

In last year's T20 WC, Virat Kohli-led India bowed out of the mega event in the Super 12 round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand, respectively. Since then, Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management were committed to strengthen their back-up options.

As a result, India made a plethora of changes throughout the year while playing the shortest format, especially in the bowling attack. It was done to provide the national selectors with a large pool of players to choose from.

However, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif took a dig at Team India's constant rotation of players. While speaking on a TV show, Latif was asked if Deepak Hooda's should have been given more chances during India's experimental phase (the all-rounder is part of the T20 WC squad but wasn't preferred on several occasions before missing the last two T20I series due to injury). This, the former keeper-batter made a bold claim.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-reacts-amid-accussations-of-prioritising-franchise-cricket-over-national-duties-523009">Jasprit Bumrah reacts amid accusations of prioritising franchise cricket over national duty</a>

Latif said, “They keep their main players everywhere and they keep changing their players frequently. 56-57 players khila diye unhone poore saal me, event koi bhi nahi bada jeeta. Ye ek issue hai.”

“Australia and England plan a lot better. Then comes Pakistan,” Latif further asserted.

India, under Rohit, will be desperate to end thier ICC-title drought in the forthcoming mega event in Australia. Their last ICC title win came under MS Dhoni during the 2013 Champions Trophy.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-led India recently left for Australia, after their three T20Is versus South Africa at home, for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting on October 16. Rohit & Co.

Rohit Sharma-led India recently left for Australia, after their three T20Is versus South Africa at home, for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting on October 16. Rohit & Co. will hope to win the title for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2007. In last year's T20 WC, Virat Kohli-led India bowed out of the mega event in the Super 12 round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand, respectively. Since then, Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management were committed to strengthen their back-up options. As a result, India made a plethora of changes throughout the year while playing the shortest format, especially in the bowling attack. It was done to provide the national selectors with a large pool of players to choose from. However, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif took a dig at Team India's constant rotation of players. While speaking on a TV show, Latif was asked if Deepak Hooda's should have been given more chances during India's experimental phase (the all-rounder is part of the T20 WC squad but wasn't preferred on several occasions before missing the last two T20I series due to injury). This, the former keeper-batter made a bold claim. ALSO READ | Jasprit Bumrah reacts amid accusations of prioritising franchise cricket over national duty Latif said, “They keep their main players everywhere and they keep changing their players frequently. 56-57 players khila diye unhone poore saal me, event koi bhi nahi bada jeeta. Ye ek issue hai.” “Australia and England plan a lot better. Then comes Pakistan,” Latif further asserted. India, under Rohit, will be desperate to end thier ICC-title drought in the forthcoming mega event in Australia. Their last ICC title win came under MS Dhoni during the 2013 Champions Trophy.

'India played 56-57 players...' - Ex-Pakistan captain takes a dig at Rohit & Co. before T20 World Cup

Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is.

During the Australia home T20Is, Pant featured in the playing XI only in&nbsp;the second and penultimate match. In the just-concluded South Africa series, the 25-year-old got a chance as India rested Hardik Pandya. After not getting an opportunity to bat in the first two T20Is versus the Proteas, Pant opened the innings for India during the final encounter in Indore on Tuesday evening (October 4). In India's pursuit of 228, the left-hander departed for a 14-ball 27 and failed to make a big score.

After another missed opportunity by Pant, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja revealed the reason behind&nbsp;the youngster's T20I struggles. He said during a discussion on Cricbuzz, "Because the Indian team has moved on to role-playing acts, and he’s not fitted into any role, that’s where he has lost out. DK played a fabulous knock. With that role-play that he is doing, it works. If he wasn’t in that role-play business and was batting at No. 4 like in the early part of his career, then, 46 on this surface, how can you throw it away?"

"He’s got a mate in DK to learn from. He can ask him, ‘Listen, what do I need to do? Is there something I am missing out on? You’ve gone through this. Show me the way.’ No matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him? There is no dearth of talent, and it is just this format. So, it is something that he has to figure out," Jadeja pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-deepak-chahar-warns-tristan-stubbs-against-leaving-the-crease-in-india-sa-3rd-t20i-in-indore-522435">Watch: Deepak Chahar warns Tristan Stubbs against leaving the crease in India-SA 3rd T20I in Indore</a>

"He doesn’t have to go too far, he just has to look at his batting partner. It’s taken Karthik 15 years for the team to start believing and accepting. DK had similar talent. The team kept bringing him back. But if you don’t deliver, the team leaves you out eventually, somewhere," added Pant.

Pant-starrer India will now travel to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup. After playing two warm-up games, India will play their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne. The left-hander will hope to make the most of the opportunities presented during the mega event Down Under.

Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is.

Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is. During the Australia home T20Is, Pant featured in the playing XI only in the second and penultimate match. In the just-concluded South Africa series, the 25-year-old got a chance as India rested Hardik Pandya. After not getting an opportunity to bat in the first two T20Is versus the Proteas, Pant opened the innings for India during the final encounter in Indore on Tuesday evening (October 4). In India's pursuit of 228, the left-hander departed for a 14-ball 27 and failed to make a big score. After another missed opportunity by Pant, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja revealed the reason behind the youngster's T20I struggles. He said during a discussion on Cricbuzz, "Because the Indian team has moved on to role-playing acts, and he’s not fitted into any role, that’s where he has lost out. DK played a fabulous knock. With that role-play that he is doing, it works. If he wasn’t in that role-play business and was batting at No. 4 like in the early part of his career, then, 46 on this surface, how can you throw it away?" "He’s got a mate in DK to learn from. He can ask him, ‘Listen, what do I need to do? Is there something I am missing out on? You’ve gone through this. Show me the way.’ No matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him? There is no dearth of talent, and it is just this format. So, it is something that he has to figure out," Jadeja pointed out. ALSO READ | Watch: Deepak Chahar warns Tristan Stubbs against leaving the crease in India-SA 3rd T20I in Indore "He doesn’t have to go too far, he just has to look at his batting partner. It’s taken Karthik 15 years for the team to start believing and accepting. DK had similar talent. The team kept bringing him back. But if you don’t deliver, the team leaves you out eventually, somewhere," added Pant. Pant-starrer India will now travel to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup. After playing two warm-up games, India will play their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne. The left-hander will hope to make the most of the opportunities presented during the mega event Down Under.

'He’s not fitted into any role' - Ajay Jadeja's take on Rishabh Pant's underwhelming T20I returns

Pakistan and England were involved in a thrilling seven-match T20I series, in Pakistan, which ended on Sunday evening (October 02). Being asked to bat first in Lahore, Moeen Ali-led English side posted a daunting 209 for 3 in 20 overs riding on Dawid Malan's 47-ball 78 and useful knocks from others.&nbsp;

In reply, Babar Azam-led Men in Green were expected to chase down the score at the jam-packed Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. Babar and Md Rizwan -- the No. 1 T20I batter -- have been Pakistan's most consistent batters in recent times but the opening pair couldn't do much and got dismissed for 4 and 1, respectively. Shan Masood's 56 was the only shining aspect for Pakistan in their run-chase as they were restricted for 148 for 8 to lose by 67&nbsp;runs.&nbsp;

Thus, the series was finally won by England 4-3 after trailing 2-3 after the first five encounters. After the series, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has expressed concerns over Babar &amp; Co.'s middle order and is 'scared' of the team's chances in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, where he fears the one-time winners might bow out in the first round (Super 12).

"Pakistan middle-order is not good. If the openers don't perform, the middle-order collapses. This is not the way you go into the World Cup and win the World Cup. It will not work this way. Even in terms of the World Cup, I hope Pakistan don't crash out in the first round. I'm scared with this team. That is why I criticized Saqlain and others to get your middle-order, batting order in order. Somehow they're not listening," Akhtar said on his Youtube channel.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/viral-video-yusuf-pathan-mitchell-johnson-involve-in-ugly-altercation-in-legends-league-cricket-521962">Yusuf Pathan, Mitchell Johnson's ugly altercation in Legends League Cricket goes viral - Watch</a>

"But hopefully, Pakistan make a good comeback in the World Cup and in New Zealand tri-series. I like to see Pakistan doing well and it is disheartening to see them lose. But Pakistan is in a dire situation and from here things aren't going to be easy for them. Hopefully they will learn a thing or two from my videos and improve their middle order. Babar cannot perform in every game," the ex-pacer further asserted.

Pakistan's middle-order woes were exposed even in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, where they lost the final to Sri Lanka by 23 runs in pursuit of 170. They are heavily dependent on Babar-Rizwan whereas the other middle-order batters haven't impressed much in the opportunities provided to them in crunch situations.

Pakistan and England were involved in a thrilling seven-match T20I series, in Pakistan, which ended on Sunday evening (October 02). Being asked to bat first in Lahore, Moeen Ali-led English side posted a daunting 209 for 3 in 20 overs riding on Dawid Malan's 47-ball 78 and useful knocks from others.

Pakistan and England were involved in a thrilling seven-match T20I series, in Pakistan, which ended on Sunday evening (October 02). Being asked to bat first in Lahore, Moeen Ali-led English side posted a daunting 209 for 3 in 20 overs riding on Dawid Malan's 47-ball 78 and useful knocks from others. In reply, Babar Azam-led Men in Green were expected to chase down the score at the jam-packed Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore. Babar and Md Rizwan -- the No. 1 T20I batter -- have been Pakistan's most consistent batters in recent times but the opening pair couldn't do much and got dismissed for 4 and 1, respectively. Shan Masood's 56 was the only shining aspect for Pakistan in their run-chase as they were restricted for 148 for 8 to lose by 67 runs. Thus, the series was finally won by England 4-3 after trailing 2-3 after the first five encounters. After the series, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has expressed concerns over Babar & Co.'s middle order and is 'scared' of the team's chances in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, where he fears the one-time winners might bow out in the first round (Super 12). "Pakistan middle-order is not good. If the openers don't perform, the middle-order collapses. This is not the way you go into the World Cup and win the World Cup. It will not work this way. Even in terms of the World Cup, I hope Pakistan don't crash out in the first round. I'm scared with this team. That is why I criticized Saqlain and others to get your middle-order, batting order in order. Somehow they're not listening," Akhtar said on his Youtube channel. ALSO READ | Yusuf Pathan, Mitchell Johnson's ugly altercation in Legends League Cricket goes viral - Watch "But hopefully, Pakistan make a good comeback in the World Cup and in New Zealand tri-series. I like to see Pakistan doing well and it is disheartening to see them lose. But Pakistan is in a dire situation and from here things aren't going to be easy for them. Hopefully they will learn a thing or two from my videos and improve their middle order. Babar cannot perform in every game," the ex-pacer further asserted. Pakistan's middle-order woes were exposed even in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, where they lost the final to Sri Lanka by 23 runs in pursuit of 170. They are heavily dependent on Babar-Rizwan whereas the other middle-order batters haven't impressed much in the opportunities provided to them in crunch situations.

'I hope Pakistan don't....' - Shoaib Akhtar 'scared' of Babar Azam & Co.'s T20 World Cup chances

Jasprit Bumrah's back injury has created a huge stir. The entire Indian cricket fraternity is hoping for his quick recovery but reports suggest that the premier pacer can be out of action for four to six months, resulting in his possible ouster from the forthcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.

While BCCI is yet to drop an official statement regarding Bumrah's T20 WC chances, the 28-year-old is certainly out of the remaining home T20Is versus South Africa, with the board naming Mohammed Siraj as his replacement.&nbsp;

Confirming the news of Bumrah’s back injury, the BCCI tweeted on Friday (September 30), "The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Mohd. Siraj as replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah for the remainder of the T20I series against South Africa. Bumrah has sustained a back injury and is currently under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mohammed-siraj-named-as-injured-jasprit-bumrahs-replacement-for-remaining-t20is-vs-south-africa-521125">Mohammed Siraj named as injured Jasprit Bumrah's replacement for remaining T20Is vs South Africa</a>

Thus, speculations are rife on who will replace Bumrah if he misses the T20 WC, starting on October 16. In this regard, former Indian stumper and selector Saba Karim has named Md Shami as his first-choice.

“I’ll go ahead with Mohammed Shami because he will find form although he hasn’t played, but he’s that kind of bowler who, once given an opportunity, can always step up and do the job for India. Plus, with this kind of experience, you need somebody at the top who can pick you wickets and you’ve seen Shami in the last Indian T20 league,” Karim was quoted as saying on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-what-is-back-stress-fracture-as-jasprit-bumrah-likely-to-be-ruled-out-of-t20-world-cup-521146">EXPLAINED! What is back stress fracture as Jasprit Bumrah likely to be ruled out of T20 World Cup</a>

“He’s such a bowler who can pick wickets with the new ball in the power play and India needs that. So, if Mohammed Shami can pick up early wickets with the new ball, that’s the kind of start India would need while defending the target or while trying to restrict the opposition from setting a huge target,” he added.

There is a close competition between Shami and Deepak Chahar to fill in for injured Bumrah. At present, Shami is on recovery mode after testing positive for Covid-19 whereas Chahar played the T20I series opener versus SA, in Trivindrum on September 28 (Wednesday), accounting for two vital scalps in India's eight-wicket win. The pacer replaced Bumrah in the line-up.

Jasprit Bumrah's back injury has created a huge stir. The entire Indian cricket fraternity is hoping for his quick recovery but reports suggest that the premier pacer can be out of action for four to six months, resulting in his possible ouster from the forthcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.

Jasprit Bumrah's back injury has created a huge stir. The entire Indian cricket fraternity is hoping for his quick recovery but reports suggest that the premier pacer can be out of action for four to six months, resulting in his possible ouster from the forthcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. While BCCI is yet to drop an official statement regarding Bumrah's T20 WC chances, the 28-year-old is certainly out of the remaining home T20Is versus South Africa, with the board naming Mohammed Siraj as his replacement. Confirming the news of Bumrah’s back injury, the BCCI tweeted on Friday (September 30), "The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Mohd. Siraj as replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah for the remainder of the T20I series against South Africa. Bumrah has sustained a back injury and is currently under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team." ALSO READ | Mohammed Siraj named as injured Jasprit Bumrah's replacement for remaining T20Is vs South Africa Thus, speculations are rife on who will replace Bumrah if he misses the T20 WC, starting on October 16. In this regard, former Indian stumper and selector Saba Karim has named Md Shami as his first-choice. “I’ll go ahead with Mohammed Shami because he will find form although he hasn’t played, but he’s that kind of bowler who, once given an opportunity, can always step up and do the job for India. Plus, with this kind of experience, you need somebody at the top who can pick you wickets and you’ve seen Shami in the last Indian T20 league,” Karim was quoted as saying on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’. ALSO READ | EXPLAINED! What is back stress fracture as Jasprit Bumrah likely to be ruled out of T20 World Cup “He’s such a bowler who can pick wickets with the new ball in the power play and India needs that. So, if Mohammed Shami can pick up early wickets with the new ball, that’s the kind of start India would need while defending the target or while trying to restrict the opposition from setting a huge target,” he added. There is a close competition between Shami and Deepak Chahar to fill in for injured Bumrah. At present, Shami is on recovery mode after testing positive for Covid-19 whereas Chahar played the T20I series opener versus SA, in Trivindrum on September 28 (Wednesday), accounting for two vital scalps in India's eight-wicket win. The pacer replaced Bumrah in the line-up.

Former Indian stumper names star pacer who can replace Jasprit Bumrah in India's T20 WC squad

The men's T20 World Cup is set to get underway in Australia from mid-October. All the major teams are in the final stages of their preparations whereas the lowly-ranked sides will lock horns in the qualifiers, which starts on October 16, before the main draw of the showpiece event -- commencing&nbsp;a six days later.

On Friday (September 30), the International Cricket Council (ICC)&nbsp;announced the prize money for the upcoming edition of the T20 WC. The winning team is set to walk&nbsp;away with a staggering sum of INR $1.6 million whereas the runners-up will&nbsp;attain half the amount, i.e.&nbsp;$8, 00, 000.

Meanwhile, the losing semi-finalists will&nbsp;get $400,000 each from the $5.6 million total prize pool. Here's the full list:

Prize Money table

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Stage
			</td>
			<td>
			Unit
			</td>
			<td>
			Per Team
			</td>
			<td>
			Total
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Winners
			</td>
			<td>
			1
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 1,600,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 1,600,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Runners-Up
			</td>
			<td>
			1
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 800,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 800,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Losing Semi-finalists
			</td>
			<td>
			2
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 400,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 800,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Super 12 Wins
			</td>
			<td>
			30
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 40,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 1,200,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Super 12 Exit
			</td>
			<td>
			8
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 70,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 560,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			First Round Win
			</td>
			<td>
			12
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 40,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 480,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			First Round Exit
			</td>
			<td>
			4
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 40,000
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 160,000
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Total
			</td>
			<td>
			&nbsp;
			</td>
			<td>
			&nbsp;
			</td>
			<td>
			$ 5,600,000
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-what-is-back-stress-fracture-as-jasprit-bumrah-likely-to-be-ruled-out-of-t20-world-cup-521146">EXPLAINED! What is back stress fracture as Jasprit Bumrah likely to be ruled out of T20 World Cup</a>

Many experts and former cricketers have shared their predictions for the forthcoming ICC event. India, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and England are one of the strongest sides but one cannot write off the other teams as the shortest format has enough ebbs and flows and, hence, any team can get the better of the other on a given day.&nbsp;

Talking about Team India's preparations, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have been on a winning spree in the format in the ongoing calendar year. Barring a disappointing run in Asia Cup 2022 edition, Men in Blue have done very well&nbsp;and will enter the tournament as a&nbsp;strong contender.&nbsp;

Rohit-starrer India failed to get past the Super 12 round in last year's edition, however, will be eager to go the distance this time around and win the trophy for the second time, after the 2007 edition.

The men's T20 World Cup is set to get underway in Australia from mid-October. All the major teams are in the final stages of their preparations whereas the lowly-ranked sides will lock horns in the qualifiers, which starts on October 16, before the main draw of the showpiece event -- commencing a six days later.

The men's T20 World Cup is set to get underway in Australia from mid-October. All the major teams are in the final stages of their preparations whereas the lowly-ranked sides will lock horns in the qualifiers, which starts on October 16, before the main draw of the showpiece event -- commencing a six days later. On Friday (September 30), the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the prize money for the upcoming edition of the T20 WC. The winning team is set to walk away with a staggering sum of INR $1.6 million whereas the runners-up will attain half the amount, i.e. $8, 00, 000. Meanwhile, the losing semi-finalists will get $400,000 each from the $5.6 million total prize pool. Here's the full list: Prize Money table Stage Unit Per Team Total Winners 1 $ 1,600,000 $ 1,600,000 Runners-Up 1 $ 800,000 $ 800,000 Losing Semi-finalists 2 $ 400,000 $ 800,000 Super 12 Wins 30 $ 40,000 $ 1,200,000 Super 12 Exit 8 $ 70,000 $ 560,000 First Round Win 12 $ 40,000 $ 480,000 First Round Exit 4 $ 40,000 $ 160,000 Total $ 5,600,000 ALSO READ | EXPLAINED! What is back stress fracture as Jasprit Bumrah likely to be ruled out of T20 World Cup Many experts and former cricketers have shared their predictions for the forthcoming ICC event. India, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and England are one of the strongest sides but one cannot write off the other teams as the shortest format has enough ebbs and flows and, hence, any team can get the better of the other on a given day. Talking about Team India's preparations, Rohit Sharma & Co. have been on a winning spree in the format in the ongoing calendar year. Barring a disappointing run in Asia Cup 2022 edition, Men in Blue have done very well and will enter the tournament as a strong contender. Rohit-starrer India failed to get past the Super 12 round in last year's edition, however, will be eager to go the distance this time around and win the trophy for the second time, after the 2007 edition.

Prize money for T20 World Cup: Full list out! Winner to walk away with a WHOPPING sum

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut.

In the reserve&nbsp;list, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer were roped in. The main squad primarily features the players who featured in the Asia Cup -- where India failed to make it to the final -- and, thus, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their take on India's line-up.

Aakash Chopra, former Indian opener-turned-commentator-cum-expert, also joined the bandwagon and feels Yuzvendra Chahal is the only 'legit wicket-taking option'.

"You have picked three spinners - an offspinner, a legspinner and a left-arm spinner. So you have picked different-different options but Yuzi Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option in T20 cricket," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-campaign-will-be-the-same-as-it-was-at-asia-cup-danish-kaneria-warns-rohit-sharma-co-515972">India's campaign will be the same as it was at Asia Cup: Danish Kaneria warns Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Chopra further opined, "The others are defensive options - make no mistake, that is the truth. You can see the numbers for the last 12 months, IPL included for both of them - Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin. Being disappointed with Bishnoi's omission from&nbsp;the main squad, he stated, "Ravi Bishnoi was a tempting option available to you. You are not thinking about Kuldeep at all, which is slightly disappointing, but he could also have been a wicket-taking option. But you didn't think about either of them."

"It will be very interesting whether you will be able to play two out of the three spinners in the XI. Will you be able to play either Axar or Ravi (Ashwin) along with Yuzi Chahal - that’s going to be a big one," Chopra added.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut.

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut. In the reserve list, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer were roped in. The main squad primarily features the players who featured in the Asia Cup -- where India failed to make it to the final -- and, thus, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their take on India's line-up. Aakash Chopra, former Indian opener-turned-commentator-cum-expert, also joined the bandwagon and feels Yuzvendra Chahal is the only 'legit wicket-taking option'. "You have picked three spinners - an offspinner, a legspinner and a left-arm spinner. So you have picked different-different options but Yuzi Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option in T20 cricket," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | India's campaign will be the same as it was at Asia Cup: Danish Kaneria warns Rohit Sharma & Co. Chopra further opined, "The others are defensive options - make no mistake, that is the truth. You can see the numbers for the last 12 months, IPL included for both of them - Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin. Being disappointed with Bishnoi's omission from the main squad, he stated, "Ravi Bishnoi was a tempting option available to you. You are not thinking about Kuldeep at all, which is slightly disappointing, but he could also have been a wicket-taking option. But you didn't think about either of them." "It will be very interesting whether you will be able to play two out of the three spinners in the XI. Will you be able to play either Axar or Ravi (Ashwin) along with Yuzi Chahal - that’s going to be a big one," Chopra added. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option, feels Aakash Chopra as he analyses India's T20 WC squad

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

Jaffer wants Rohit to promote Rishabh Pant up the order and use him as an opener with vice-captain KL Rahul. Given Pant can play the big shots at will, he can utilise the powerplay overs and take the pressure off Rahul, who is generally criticised for his strike rate. Nonetheless, Rohit's demotion at No. 4 can be a big gamble -- despite the fact that he used to bat at that position early in his career -- but Jaffer feels it can be the right way forward.

Jaffer tweeted saying, "I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WC</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1569679815149764608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-can-be-a-great-finisher-in-t20-wc-ex-cricketer-expects-star-player-to-do-the-tough-job-for-india-516116">'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India</a>

It is to be noted that former captain Dhoni had taken a punt on Rohit by promoting him as an opener right before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales, which remains the last ICC tournament won by India. However, Rohit had opened in the 2009 T20 World Cup as well and even started 2013 at the top before being promoted as Shikhar Dhawan's partner come the CT'13.

Will Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management shuffle the batting order in their remaining T20Is in the run-up to the Wordl Cup? Only time will tell...

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma & Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma & Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November. Jaffer wants Rohit to promote Rishabh Pant up the order and use him as an opener with vice-captain KL Rahul. Given Pant can play the big shots at will, he can utilise the powerplay overs and take the pressure off Rahul, who is generally criticised for his strike rate. Nonetheless, Rohit's demotion at No. 4 can be a big gamble -- despite the fact that he used to bat at that position early in his career -- but Jaffer feels it can be the right way forward. Jaffer tweeted saying, "I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC." I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) September 13, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India It is to be noted that former captain Dhoni had taken a punt on Rohit by promoting him as an opener right before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales, which remains the last ICC tournament won by India. However, Rohit had opened in the 2009 T20 World Cup as well and even started 2013 at the top before being promoted as Shikhar Dhawan's partner come the CT'13. Will Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management shuffle the batting order in their remaining T20Is in the run-up to the Wordl Cup? Only time will tell...

Wasim Jaffer makes interesting suggestion, wants Rohit Sharma to take MS Dhoni-like gamble in T20 WC

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.

In the reserve list, Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi were named. Former Indian captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up on India's squad for the showpiece event, in Australia from October-November, and named the star player who can be Men in Blue's finisher. While the squad features some known finishers such as Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, Vengsarkar feels Suryakumar Yadav can do the tough job at the forthcoming ICC event.

"I can’t really comment on who bats at what number. It is up to the think tank, the coach, the captain and the vice-captain. But I feel Suryakumar Yadav, who is batting at 4, can bat at 5 as well. He can be a great finisher," Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

"T20 is not like ODIs and Test cricket, where you need certain batters at certain positions. In this format, anybody can bat anywhere. You don’t have time to settle down. One should go after the bowlers from ball one," he opined.

SKY ended the Asia Cup with 139 runs -- eighth-highest overall&nbsp;and second-most among Indians -- including a breathtaking 26-ball 68 not out versus Hong Kong.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chahal-is-the-only-legit-wicket-taking-option-feels-aakash-chopra-as-he-analyses-indias-t20-wc-squad-515994">Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option, feels Aakash Chopra as he analyses India's T20 WC squad</a>

The 1983 World Cup-winning member Vengsarkar also mentioned the three players he would've picked had he been part of the&nbsp;current selection committee. "I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season," he added.

India's T20 World Cup squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Arshdeep Singh.

Standby players:&nbsp;Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, and Deepak Chahar.

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel. In the reserve list, Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi were named. Former Indian captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up on India's squad for the showpiece event, in Australia from October-November, and named the star player who can be Men in Blue's finisher. While the squad features some known finishers such as Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, Vengsarkar feels Suryakumar Yadav can do the tough job at the forthcoming ICC event. "I can’t really comment on who bats at what number. It is up to the think tank, the coach, the captain and the vice-captain. But I feel Suryakumar Yadav, who is batting at 4, can bat at 5 as well. He can be a great finisher," Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. "T20 is not like ODIs and Test cricket, where you need certain batters at certain positions. In this format, anybody can bat anywhere. You don’t have time to settle down. One should go after the bowlers from ball one," he opined. SKY ended the Asia Cup with 139 runs -- eighth-highest overall and second-most among Indians -- including a breathtaking 26-ball 68 not out versus Hong Kong. ALSO READ | Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option, feels Aakash Chopra as he analyses India's T20 WC squad The 1983 World Cup-winning member Vengsarkar also mentioned the three players he would've picked had he been part of the current selection committee. "I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season," he added. India's T20 World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Arshdeep Singh. Standby players: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, and Deepak Chahar.

'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list. There wasn't much surprise in the final squad with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned post injury concerns whereas Sanju Samson, Md Siraj, Ishan Kishan, etc. were the notable omissions.

Talking about the standby players, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi have made the cut. Shami hasn't played a single T20I post last year's World Cup, however, given how the pace battery fared at the Asia Cup, the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management have included the senior pacer in the reserves. He is also part of the squads for the Australia and South Africa home T20Is. As per a report in InsideSport, there was a toss-up between Shami and R Ashwin while selecting the 15-man squad but Dravid-Rohit favoured the latter; pushing Shami's name in the reserve list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-feat-for-king-kohli-virat-becomes-first-cricketer-to-reach-50-million-followers-on-twitter-515656">Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter</a>

Shami vs Ashwin

As per report, the selection committee was torn between including one of Shami or Ashwin in the final squad but Rohit-Dravid preferred the veteran off-spinner given his vast experience of bowling in Australia and the staggering success he enjoys against left-handed batters.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mohammed-shami-deepak-chahar-make-the-cut-in-indias-t20i-squad-for-australia-south-africa-home-series-515457">Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar make the cut in India's T20I squad for Australia, South Africa home series</a>

“The fact remains that they have drafted Mohammed Shami as a standby for the World Cup also goes to show that maybe they still have doubts about Bumrah and Harshal’s fitness. That’s why perhaps they want to keep Shami in the loop,” former national selector Saba Karim had told while speaking to Sportstar.

Given that both Bumrah and Harshal are returning from injuries, the team management will not be keen to include them straightaway into the playing XI. Even if they do, the two bowlers can take time to get going. Thus, Shami's inclusion is justified as his importance will be significant in such a scenario. He will be eager to make a mark in the upcoming white-ball series versus the Aussies and SA, at home, before the team leaves for Australia for the T20 WC.

India Squad for Australia T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India squad for South Africa T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list.

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list. There wasn't much surprise in the final squad with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned post injury concerns whereas Sanju Samson, Md Siraj, Ishan Kishan, etc. were the notable omissions. Talking about the standby players, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi have made the cut. Shami hasn't played a single T20I post last year's World Cup, however, given how the pace battery fared at the Asia Cup, the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management have included the senior pacer in the reserves. He is also part of the squads for the Australia and South Africa home T20Is. As per a report in InsideSport, there was a toss-up between Shami and R Ashwin while selecting the 15-man squad but Dravid-Rohit favoured the latter; pushing Shami's name in the reserve list. ALSO READ | Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter Shami vs Ashwin As per report, the selection committee was torn between including one of Shami or Ashwin in the final squad but Rohit-Dravid preferred the veteran off-spinner given his vast experience of bowling in Australia and the staggering success he enjoys against left-handed batters. ALSO READ | Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar make the cut in India's T20I squad for Australia, South Africa home series “The fact remains that they have drafted Mohammed Shami as a standby for the World Cup also goes to show that maybe they still have doubts about Bumrah and Harshal’s fitness. That’s why perhaps they want to keep Shami in the loop,” former national selector Saba Karim had told while speaking to Sportstar. Given that both Bumrah and Harshal are returning from injuries, the team management will not be keen to include them straightaway into the playing XI. Even if they do, the two bowlers can take time to get going. Thus, Shami's inclusion is justified as his importance will be significant in such a scenario. He will be eager to make a mark in the upcoming white-ball series versus the Aussies and SA, at home, before the team leaves for Australia for the T20 WC. India Squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

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