In an exclusive interview with Sports Yaari, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has shared his bold predictions for the upcoming T20 World Cup, backing India and Australia as finalists and tipping Hardik Pandya to light up the tournament.
In a recent interaction, Watson was asked about his top four picks for the marquee event. The World Cup-winning cricketer placed his faith in hosts India, alongside Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
“For me, the top four look like India at home, of course. Australia are going to be very hard to beat with the team they have. And then for me, South Africa and New Zealand. New Zealand always do very, very well in ICC events,” Watson said.
When asked about the finalists, Watson predicted a blockbuster clash between India and Australia. “I’m going to say Australia and India play in the final,” he added.
Watson also weighed in on India’s batting firepower, calling it one of the most dangerous line-ups in the competition. He singled out Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav for their explosive form but reserved special praise for Hardik Pandya.
“There are so many dangerous batters for India. Obviously, Abhishek Sharma has been doing incredibly well. Suryakumar Yadav continues to do amazingly well. I’ll be very surprised if Hardik Pandya doesn’t absolutely set this T20 World Cup alight. He’s in incredible form at the moment, and his body is holding up beautifully. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the man of the tournament,” Watson remarked.
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On Virat Kohli’s consistent run-scoring, Watson described the former India captain as a “run machine,” particularly in the 50-over format.
“He just continues to be an absolute run machine. In one-day cricket, there’s no question he is the master. His ability to score consistent runs, score them quickly and do it so often, he really is something else,” Watson said.
Apart from sharing his World Cup predictions, Watson also expressed his delight at being part of a veterans’ league, calling it a special experience to reconnect with former teammates and opponents.
“It’s awesome to be here and have the opportunity to play at this stage of our lives. It’s very cool to have a tournament like this, to play with and against great mates and reconnect. And being here in Galle as well, what a beautiful place to host a tournament like this,” he signed off.
