Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has named three players to watch out for in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021, to be played in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14. He names Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya to have a huge impact in the tournament.
Hardik is going through a lean patch with the bat. Plus, he isn’t bowling regularly since going through a back surgery back in 2019. Though, Karthik feels Hardik has a fighting spirit in him and would be one of the key players at the T20 World Cup 2021.
Also Read: Dinesh Karthik predicts England will win the T20 World Cup 2021
Karthik, along with Sky Sports commentator Isa Guha and two-time T20 World Cup-winning skipper Darren Sammy revealed the schedule of the tournament. The Indian wicketkeeper was asked to name three players to watch out for in the show-piece event.
“When you want to win big tournaments, you need characters, people who are up for a fight. For India, that [character] is Hardik Pandya for me. He is there with the ball, he is there with the bat, and he plays a critical role with the bat because every time India has floundered a little bit or want to up their run-rate, he is the guy. He can hit most bowlers to most parts of the ground… one of the reasons I really enjoy him. Even [with] his bowling, he is very clever; he is gone on to become the leader of the pack. You can see him talking to the other bowlers,” said Karthik.
He, then, named Nicholas Pooran of West Indies to pose a great threat for other teams.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya will be the most valuable asset for India in T20 WC 2021, believes Dinesh Karthik
“For me, Nicholas Pooran is someone who is special. When he finishes his career, he’ll be one of the T20 greats because of the way he bats. There’s something called bat swing, and he has probably got the best bat swing cricket. He could hit a cricket ball farther than most have ever done. He is a very, very important player if West Indies want to move forward in the tournament,” he added.
Karthik named Australian quick Mitchell Starc to cap off his list.
“Mitchell Starc, if he comes, good for Australia. He’d be bowling those important overs for Australia upfront at the death. He has not been going too well, of late. But in the last series against West Indies, especially in the ODI format, he’s found his rhythm back. He has got the ball to come back in, and he has got people [out] with sheer pace. I am hoping that he holds onto that. Because if Australia has to do any damage in this tournament, he is going to be a key player,” he signed off.
