T20 World Cup 2021: Pakistan can beat India if they play without pressure and fear – Javed Miandad

Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad has expressed confidence that the Babar Azam-led team can beat India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021 if they play without fear and pressure. India has a great record against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup as they have beaten the arch-rivals on all five occasions.

In fact, India has their wood on Pakistan in all the World Cup fixtures. Pakistan is yet to beat India in a World Cup match thus far as the latter has brought their best in high-octane matches.

However, Pakistan had stunned India in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy by a massive margin. But Pakistan once again lost the 2019 World Cup match against India.

India and Pakistan will begin their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against one another at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 24th October and Miandad added that it will be imperative for Pakistan to get early momentum in the tournament.

“The match against India will be crucial to getting momentum in the tournament. They are a strong side and have several top players but if we can play without fear and pressure and everyone does his bit we can beat them,” Miandad said.

“T20 format is one where people think that one or two players can win you matches but I look at it this way that in this format everyone needs to contribute in some way or the other for a team to be a winning outfit,” Miandad told GEO TV.

Miandad, who is regarded as one of the best Pakistan batters, added that a little cameo from the batters is of more importance in the shortest format and the team will need to come up with a collective effort.

“In this format, even a small inning of 20 or a crucial catch or run-out or a good over can win you matches so everyone has to put in his bit. This format is about a collective effort from the team,” he signed off.

It will be a high-pressure match and both teams will look to make a winning start to their campaign.