Wasim Akram teased the Indian men’s cricket team for not having any players from their 2024 T20 World Cup squad in the recent IPL final. The former fast bowling legend joked that Indian cricketers won’t have fatigue as an excuse for their performances, suggesting that this situation could actually benefit them.
Well, now at least none of them will have to say that they are tired. They were thinking ahead, what is the point of reaching the final, India is more important, we will play with the country. But it could be a blessing in disguise for India,” Akram was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.
“We discussed in the previous show that I was worried that they might be tired, and they will be tired, no doubt. Even America is not their road. I think Pakistan’s first match is Dallas if I remember. Now they will go and play there, one or two practice matches. It will be okay, I suppose. It is T20, the boys will recover, nowadays fitness levels are very high,” he added.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan departed for the USA on Monday night. Earlier, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and reserves Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed flew from Mumbai to New York, arriving on Monday.
Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rinku Singh, who were part of IPL teams, are also expected to leave soon. Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli will join the squad later.
India’s T20 World Cup journey begins with a warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Their campaign officially starts on June 5 against Ireland in New York, followed by a much-awaited match against Pakistan on June 9.
After facing co-hosts USA on June 12 in New York, India will head to Florida to play against Canada on June 15, completing their Group A matches.
India, winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, are eyeing their second title in the tournament.
