T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan need 170 minimum to challenge India: Ex-stars

KARACHI: Ahead of the high-voltage clash between the arch-rivals, Pakistan and India, former cricketers have said Green Shirts must set minimum 170 against India in T20 World Cup clash, scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Speaking on ARY News program Har Lamha Purjosh, former cricketer Basit Ali Khan hinted that there would be a batting-friendly pitch for Pakistan-India clash this Sunday.

Har Lamha Purjosh, panellists noted that encounters between the two sides are always played under immense pressure, often influencing the final outcome.

Shoaib Malik observed that in high-intensity matches of this nature, teams can end up 20 to 25 runs short purely due to scoreboard pressure and the weight of expectation.

Both Shoaib Malik and Basit Ali asserted that Pakistan should set a target of at least 170 runs, expressing confidence that the bowling attack has the strength to defend such a total.

They also suggested that Usman Tariq could emerge as a key option, particularly if conditions favour spin, potentially adding another dimension to what is expected to be a closely fought contest.

Pakistan’s government on Monday agreed to let the national team play India in the game scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka on Sunday. It had earlier directed the team to boycott the match in a show of solidarity with Bangladesh after they refused to tour India due to security concerns.

Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said on Tuesday it was good that a solution had been found.

“All kudos to ICC (International Cricket Council) for taking this initiative, resolving the whole issue and bringing cricket back on the forefront. This is a big achievement as far as ICC is concerned,” he said.