T20 World Cup News: The Super 12 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup will begin on Saturday, but most cricket fans around the world are waiting for Sunday's match between India and Pakistan. The two teams will face each other for the first time since the ODI World Cup in England in 2019. Many experts believe that the outcome of that match can determine how India and Pakistan will perform in this T20 World Cup.
Former Australian cricketer, Brad Hogg said it could be really difficult for Pakistan to reach the semi-finals if they lose their World Cup opening match against India in Dubai.
Hogg said, if India starts off with a win against Pakistan, they will easily reach for next, while the Babar Azam-led side, whose next match is against New Zealand, will find it difficult to make a comeback. Hogg said in a conversation with Deep Dasgupta that if Pakistan loses to India in the first game, the challenge will be difficult for them as their next match is with New Zealand. In such a situation, It won't be easy for them to make a comeback. If Pakistan lose against India in the first game, I don't think they will be able to make a comeback easily.
The former left-arm wrist spinner, however, placed both India and Pakistan in his list of four semifinalists for the T20 World Cup. Hogg said India-Pakistan will reach the semi-finals from Group 2, while West Indies and England will go ahead of Group 1.
"The teams I think are going to go to the semi-finals are England and West Indies from Group 1 and from Group 2 I think it will be Pakistan and India teams," he said.