Former England cricketer Monty Panesar believes India can ‘destroy Pakistan like a house of cards’ if they can their captain Babar Azam out early in their T20 World Cup 2021 opener in Dubai on Sunday. India and Pakistan are scheduled to start off their T20 World Cup journey by facing each other in a Group 2 encounter. This will be the first match between these two sides in more than two years.

Panesar said Babar and left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi will be the two key men for Pakistan but if India can dislodge the captain early, it will be a cakewalk for them.

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“For Pakistan, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. Shaheen is a wonderful left-arm seamer and he will eye more and more Indian wickets. I am sure Virat and KL Rahul have enough practice against the left-arm seamers. If India bowlers get rid of Babar Azam early, they can destroy Pakistan like a pack (house) of cards,” Panesar told Times of India.

Speaking about the game-changers from the Indian side, the former left-arm spinner put his weight behind all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Panesar even went on to add that if Ashwin and Jadeja have a good World Cup, then India will go on to win the tournament.

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“For me, it will be Ashwin (India’s game-changer). He has got so much unpredictability. And Ravindra Jadeja. He is a game-changer with both bat and ball. He had a wonderful tournament with Chennai Super Kings. Both of them are going to be key campaigners, because Ashwin can be wonderful in the powerplay and also in the death overs. He has done so well. If Jadeja and Ashwin perform well, India will win the T20 World Cup,” he added.

India have never lost to Pakistan in a World Cup match. They have a staggering 12-0 record against them in World Cups – ODI and T20Is combined. If only T20I World Cups are taken into consideration, India have won all five matches against Pakistan. Panesar, however, believes Pakistan can beat any team on their day.

“Pakistan are really good on UAE tracks. They have a good bowling line-up with Shaheen Afridi in the side. They have a solid batting line-up with Babar Azam in the side. They have all the basics covered. You just can’t predict Pakistan. Only Pakistan can beat Pakistan,” he said.

“On their day, they can beat any team in the world. Pakistan are really motivated this time and wouldn’t spare any team. But India will have an upper hand, considering their overall records against Pakistan. Pakistan will be under pressure, not India.”