DUBAI: Babar Azam's Pakistan will look to end their losing streak against India at the Twenty20 World Cup when the two rivals begin their title race in a Sunday blockbuster. India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups.
However, Pakistan come into the Super 12s contest with 10 wins in a row in the United Arab Emirates and former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar believes the team has struck the right balance to challenge Virat Kohli's India.
"A week ago I had apprehensions about the team but now they have made certain changes and they look a decent, well-balanced side now," Nazar told AFP.
"Pakistan stand a very good chance as they have experienced players who have played a lot against India. India start as favourites and they have all the areas covered but in T20 anybody could beat anybody on their day."
'One minute down, next minute up': You can never rule out Pakistan
Azam, who is in top form with two T20 centuries this year, believes his team can break the World Cup jinx. "Definitely we have played a lot of cricket in the UAE," Babar said when asked about his team's dismal 0-5 record against India in T20 World Cup clashes.
"These conditions suit us and we know how to play here. We need to keep things simple in all the departments." The two teams last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England as India only plays Pakistan in multi-nation events after cutting off bilateral cricket ties with their neighbours following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
India, who have blamed Pakistan for importing terror, last hosted their neighbours in a bilateral series in 2013 during a brief thaw in their rivalry. Boycott v ticket sales. There have been protests in India with calls to boycott the match in the wake of recent killings of 11 migrant workers and minority Hindus and Sikhs in Indian-administered Kashmir.
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