‘Capable of winning all tournaments that they play’: Brian Lara picks favourite to win T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup: India are touted as one of the favourites to lift the trophy for the second time in history after winning the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007.

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara showered praise on Indian cricket team and stated that Virat Kohli’s troops are capable of winning any tournament that they play. India’s last major International Cricket Council (ICC) title came in 2013 when they lifted the Champions Trophy but that didn’t stop Lara from picking them as favourites for T20 World Cup which is scheduled to take place in Australia later this year.

File image: India captain Virat Kohli, right, talks to Australia skipper Aaron Finch. (AP)

“I think they are definitely capable of winning all tournaments that they play,” Lara was quoted as saying by India. “I think what Virat Kohli and company and the Indian team has to appreciate the fact that everybody sort of target India.

“Everybody knows that some point of time one team is going to play that important match against India. If it’s a quarter-final, semi-final and final,” he added.

India are touted as one of the favourites to lift the trophy for the second time in history after winning the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007. Since then, India have never won the trophy again and will aim to end that drought Down Under.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has reiterated time and again that India should focus on winning big tournaments. India have done exceedingly well in most of the bilateral series that they play in, however, their wait to win another ICC title continues.

“India are a good team. The only issue (skipper) Virat Kohli needs to address is that we have not won the last seven major tournaments. But they play well in big tournaments, except the semi-finals and the final. Hopefully, Virat can change it around. He is a champion player,” Ganguly had said during the press conference after becoming BCCI chief.

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be played between October 18 to November 15 with the final to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). India play their first match against South Africa on October 24.