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'Anyone can upset India in knockouts. They have no Plan B': Hussain says Kohli & Co 'not clear favourites' to win T20 WC

By, New Delhi
Oct 22, 2021 11:23 AM IST

Nasser Hussain feels that even though India certainly are strong candidates to go on and win the T20 World Cup, they aren't the 'clear favourites' due to the fickle nature of the format.

Nasser Hussain feels that even though India certainly are strong candidates to go on and win the T20 World Cup, they aren't the outright favourites due to the fickle nature of the format. Besides, the fact that India have not had the greatest of records in knockout matches of the last few ICC tournaments also stands in their way in winning the ICC trophy, asserted the former England captain.

Nasser Hussain feels India have a few things to ponder over at the T20 World Cup. (Getty Images)

"They are favourites. I wouldn’t say clear favourites because of the format. The shorter the game, things can happen. An individual brilliance, a 70 or 80 or 3 deliveries suddenly changes it the other way around. So anyone could upset India in any knockout game," Hussain said on Sky Cricket.

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

India last won a major ICC tournament back in 2013 when under MS Dhoni, they beat England to lift the Champions Trophy. Since then, India have reached the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup, 2016 World T20 and the 2019 World Cup win, while finishing runner-up in the Champions Trophy in 2017. Earlier this year, India reached the final of the World Test Championship but lost the final to New Zealand. 

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Using the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup between India and England, Hussain explained how India seemingly do not possess a back-up plan in case things go awry, and that remains a concern for Virat Kohli in his last T20 assignment as captain of the Indian cricket team.

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

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