Former West Indies skipper, Clive Lloyd reckons that Virat Kohli’s failure to win an ICC tournament for India doesn’t dilute his stature as captain. The legendary former West Indies skipper, in a conversation with News9, also said that the Carribeans, who are two-time champions (2012 and 2016), need to pull up their socks in order to perform better in the 2022 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia in October.
Speaking on the legacy of skipper Kohli, Clive Lloyd said, “The point is he has done extremely well for India over the years. He probably didn’t win a World Cup but that doesn’t make him a bad captain. He has been a tremendous servant for the Indian team and will continue to do so for years to come. People have been talking about his batting and I am sure will witness the best of Kohli with the bat.”
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India failed to reach the knockout stage of the T20 WC. India started their campaign with two back-to-back defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand, which derailed their knockout hopes. Big wins against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia were not quite enough for them to reach the semis, for the first time since 2012.
Talking about the same, Clive Lloyd said, “Well, they didn’t play at their best in the first two matches against Pakistan and New Zealand. They have done exceedingly well in ODIs, T20Is, and Test cricket. I am disappointed with India not making the semis. Had India been here in the semi-finals, this place would have been packed and you know how the atmosphere is inside the stadium when the Indian team is playing a knockout match.”
With the semi-final line-ups decided, Clive Lloyd said that it wasn’t easy to pick one of the four teams. But New Zealand’s tendency of punching above their weight class makes him believe that they can go all the way this time.
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Talking about teh same, Clive Llyod said, “I am not going to tell you who will win. Australia has played quite well, Pakistan have played extremely well and England is the powerhouse of white-ball cricket. But my dark horse will be New Zealand. The way they have played in the last couple of games. They were behind in the game but gave a good account of their talent and skills. They have a knack of sensing wins and they can be a force in the semi-finals.”
