India-Pakistan Rivalry Set for Double Encounter at T20 World Cup 2024

India-Pakistan Clash at T20 World Cup 2024: ICC Plans for Double Encounter

The highly anticipated India-Pakistan rivalry is set to ignite once again at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled for June 9 in New York. However, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has made a bold claim that the ICC is orchestrating a potential double encounter between the two arch-rivals.

According to Ali, the ICC has strategically crafted the tournament schedule to allow for a second India-Pakistan clash in either the semi-final or final. This would mark the first time since 2019 that the two teams would face off twice in a single ICC event.

"The ICC wants India and Pakistan to have two matches in the World Cup," Ali stated on his YouTube channel. "They have made the schedule so the two teams can meet again either in the semi-final or final."

The India-Pakistan rivalry is one of the most intense in world cricket, with matches between the two nations consistently drawing massive viewership and generating immense excitement. The last bilateral series between the two teams was held in 2012-13, and since then, they have only met at ICC and ACC events.

India and Pakistan are both placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2024, alongside Ireland, Canada, and co-hosts USA. India will begin their campaign on June 5 against Ireland, while Pakistan will face the USA on June 6.

The Indian squad for the tournament includes star players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be led by Babar Azam and will feature the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

Ali believes that Pakistan's performance in the tournament will hinge on the form of Babar Azam, who he suggests should open the batting. "For Pakistan to perform well, Babar must open," Ali emphasized.

The prospect of a double India-Pakistan encounter at the T20 World Cup 2024 has sent shockwaves through the cricket world. If Ali's claims prove true, it would undoubtedly be a major highlight of the tournament and a spectacle that would captivate cricket fans globally.

Tags: #IndiaPakistanRivalry, #T20WorldCup2024, #ICC, #BasitAli, #Cricket