T20 World Cup 2021: Gautam Gambhir Hits Back At Babar Azam, Says India Will Have 'Home Advantage' In UAE

T20 World Cup 2021: Gautam Gambhir has said that India will have an edge in the tournament due to IPL in UAE ahead of T20 World Cup.

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T20 World Cup 2021: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes that Team India will have an upper hand in this tournament due to playing IPL in UAE before the T20 World Cup. Gambhir has said that many people believe that the situation in the UAE will be in favor of Pakistan, but he is of a different opinion. Team India will play IPL in UAE just before this World Cup and he thinks that it will make the situation more favorable for India in the UAE. India will take to the field against Pakistan in their first match of the T20 World Cup on October 24. 

Gautam Gambhir said, "It is very difficult to predict anything in T20. However, if you say that Pakistan mostly plays cricket in the UAE so they will have a home advantage then I don't believe so. I think India will have more home advantage than Pakistan because we are going to play the remaining IPL matches in UAE a month before the World Cup."

IPL experience will be useful in T20 World Cup 

Gautam Gambhir said, "When you come out for a match in the World Cup after playing a strong tournament like IPL, then you are prepared well. IPL experience can be of great use to you in big tournaments like T20 World Cup as compared to playing bilateral series."

At the same time, Gambhir said, "The quality of cricket in IPL is no less than any international tournament. Imagine yourself, on the one hand, you go to the T20 World Cup after playing a series against South Africa or Sri Lanka, and on the one hand, you have the IPL experience. Out of these two, IPL experience will be more useful to you. So the home advantage will be more in favor of India and not Pakistan or any other team."

Babar Azam had said the situation in UAE is favorable for Pakistan 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said that the conditions in the UAE during the T20 World Cup will be favorable for his team. "We have been playing cricket here continuously for the last several years," Azam said. "Playing here is like playing at home grounds for us. Most of the players in the team are well aware of the playing conditions here and we will be immensely benefited from it during the T20 World Cup."