The Super 12 stage of the ICC men’s T20 World Cup will begin from Saturday (October 23) but majority of the cricket fans across the globe are holding their breath for the big-ticket encounter between India and Pakistan on Sunday. The two teams will meet for the first time since the ODI World Cup in England in 2019 and many experts believe, the outcome of that match could decide how India and Pakistan will fare in this T20 World Cup. Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg said Pakistan can find it really tough advancing to the semi-finals if they lose their World Cup opener to India in Dubai. 

Hogg said, India will go through easily if they start on a winning note against Pakistan while the Babar Azam-led side who face New Zealand barely a day later, will find it hard to bounce back. 

“If Pakistan get beaten by India in the first game, they’ve got a short turnaround to play New Zealand. I think that will be a huge factor on whether Pakistan go through or not. If Pakistan lose against India in the first game, I don’t think they will get through, India will get through. So watch that space,” Hogg said in an interaction with Deep Dasgupta on his YouTube channel.

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The former left-arm wrist spinner, however, kept both India and Pakistan in his list of four semi-finalists for the T20 World Cup. Hogg said India, Pakistan will move to the semi-finals from Group 2, while West Indies and England will advance from Group 1. 

“The teams that I think are going to go to the semis are England and the West Indies from Group 1 and from Group 2 I think it’s going to be Pakistan and India,” he added.

As far as warm-up matches are concerned, India have by far looked the best side on display with comprehensive victories over England and Australia despite not playing their main players in the latter. 

The conditions in UAE too are slated to favour India’s spinners and batters. But reigning ODI World champions England, despite the absence of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and two-time World T20 winners West Indies, are sure to pose a tough challenge to India.