Former Australia batsman Dav Whatmore, who guides Baroda, tips Ashes opponent to beat Pakistan in today’s T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
The England team train on the eve of the final in Melbourne. Pic/AFP
Former Australian batsman Dav Whatmore, 68, who coached Sri Lanka to their 1996 World Cup triumph, feels Jos Buttler’s England outfit are most equipped to lift the T20 World Cup in Melbourne today.
Pakistan beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the first semi-final in Sydney, while England outclassed India by 10 wickets at Adelaide on Thursday.
“England have got a good all-round T20 side. Pakistan have got some good bowlers, but apart from the opening batsmen [Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam] they are a little fragile,” Whatmore told Sunday mid-day.
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Dav Whatmore
Way back in 1992, Imran Khan’s Pakistan won their first World Cup [ODI] when they beat Graham Gooch’s English team by 22 runs at the same Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, Whatmore felt it won’t be the case this time. “They [England] have a good chance to win, but the weather is going to play a part, right? The forecast is not good…a lot of rain including some thunder activity as well. And there is rain predicted for the next day, which is your reserve day,” Whatmore, who has lived in Melbourne, remarked.
He is currently guiding Baroda as head coach in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. On Saturday, Baroda beat Nagaland by 167 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.
Whatmore, who represented Australia in seven Tests and one ODI, reacted to Australia’s T20 World Cup exit.
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“Not just me, but a lot of people probably think they [Australia] would have qualified [for the semi-final]. But it’s interesting to know that no World Cup-winning team have won back-to-back [World Cup] in their home country. I didn’t expect the first game to be so one-sided [against New Zealand who won by 89 runs]. That didn’t help Australia’s cause,” said Whatmore.
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