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'Beating Australia will be very difficult': Virender Sehwag predicts T20 World Cup finalists
The Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup starts on Saturday with defending champions and hosts Australia taking on England.
The opening match of the T20 World Cup's Super 12 stage draws ever closer and with that comes predictions of all kinds from all quarters. While the tournament has already got off to a thrilling start with a number of upsets coming in the first round, the big teams will take the centre stage from Saturday with defending champions and hosts Australia taking on traditional rivals England. This will be followed by a match between another set of traditional rivals - India and Pakistan.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag feels that Australia will be a difficult team to beat in their home conditions and predicted that they would reach the final. The other team to reach the title clash, according to him, would be India.
“The hosts are Australia and defeating them Down Under is very difficult. The other would be the Indian team who are balanced and have experience of playing in Australia,” he said on Cricbuzz. Sehwag had earlier said that Pakistan captain and opener Babar Azam will finish the tournament as the highest run scorer.
“Babar Azam from Pakistan,” said Sehwag on Cricbuzz. The 44-year-old, who had won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007 with India, said that Babar brings a sense of calm to the crease the way former India captain Virat Kohli, with whom the Pakistan skipper is frequently compared, tends to do in T20s.
“He has been extraordinary. Great fun to watch. There is a sense of calmness whenever Virat Kohli bats and you get something similar when watching Babar,” he said. Sehwag's opinion was echoed by former England captain Michael Vaughan, who said that the fact that Babar is the opener for Pakistan and has formed a prolific partnership at the top of the order with Mohammad Rizwan will only help him top the charts this year.
“This year's T20 World Cup, I am going with Babar Azam. Brilliant player, Pakistan's opening batter. A great combination with Rizwan at the top of the order. So consistent, Babar Azam will score the most runs,” said Vaughan.
