Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has declared India as the favourites for their highly anticipated T20 World Cup clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday. Speaking during a discussion on, Basit pointed to India’s recent dominance in the shortest format, noting that the Suryakumar Yadav-led side has not lost a T20I series since the previous T20 World Cup.
He also highlighted India’s dominance over Pakistan in recent encounters, recalling that India defeated Pakistan in all three meetings during the Asia Cup last year, including the final. According to Basit, these results give India a clear advantage going into the marquee encounter.
“Even if you ask a five-year-old, he would say India are favourites. They are playing top-class cricket,” Basit said.
Usman Tariq Creating Buzz Before the Big Match
Despite India being favourites, Basit suggested that Pakistan’s spinner Usman Tariq has created unexpected pressure in the Indian camp. He claimed that Indian players and journalists appear rattled by the attention surrounding the mystery spinner.
“For the first time in a decade, I am seeing the Indian players and journalists under pressure because of one guy—Usman Tariq. The match has not even started and he has become famous without even playing,” Basit remarked.
Tariq, 30, recently made his T20 World Cup debut during Pakistan’s win over the USA in Colombo, delivering an impressive performance with figures of 3/27. However, his unique bowling action has sparked controversy, with critics questioning its legality due to a noticeable pause in his delivery stride before releasing the ball.
Pakistan Captain Defends Spinner’s Action
Ahead of the blockbuster clash, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha dismissed the controversy and defended Tariq, stating that his bowling action has already been cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on two occasions.
“For us, every player is equal. You guys have made Usman Tariq this big. I don’t know why there is talk about his action. He doesn’t care about all this talk,” Agha said during the pre-match press conference.
With India entering the match as favourites and Pakistan banking on Tariq’s impact, the stage is set for another thrilling chapter in the historic India-Pakistan rivalry.