The burden of expectations
The playing conditions are such as to render Team India even more formidable.
The T20 World Cup card is full with Pakistan condescending to tour India. The burden of expectations on the host country grows heavier not only in terms of providing security to all comers, including a reluctant Pakistan which seemed to want special assurances, but also about on-field performance. India is now the number-one-rated T20 team in the world with a record unbeaten run from Australia through Dhaka where the Asia Cup format was shrewdly changed to T20 as it was being played on the eve of ICC’s world event.
India’s run of success in T20 cricket is predicated upon a combination of big-hitting batsmen right down the order, besides traditional bowling weaknesses being hidden by the nature of the format which demands wickets only to halt the opposition’s momentum. India’s greatest strength is the ability of its batsmen to hit the ball on the rise even as they are moving their feet inside or out of the crease.
There are many contemporary batting greats around the world who possess the same gift of eye-hand coordination while on the move. But no other team seems to have the same strength evenly spread down the batting order. On current form, the expectation of fans has been cranked up even more. India is in better shape after being tested both by Pakistani fast bowling as well as Bangladesh’s batting in Dhaka. The playing conditions are such as to render Team India even more formidable. India’s first win in 2007 led to the IPL revolution. Nine years later, a second triumph is on the cards with only the vagaries of form being the biggest hurdle.