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Former Sri Lankan skipper Chamara Kapugedera expressed his thrill on India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash, calling it a thing for Sri Lanka's cricket, its fans and the global audience. He noted Sri Lanka's luck in hosting two giant rivals and expects a tight, down-to-the-wire battle on Sunday, with India holding a slight edge over arch-rivals Pakistan.
India is set to face Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday, in what is likely to be the most-watched T20 World Cup group-stage game. "I'm really happy that everything worked out, and the game is going to happen. It's a good thing for Sri Lanka cricket, Sri Lanka fans and fans all over the world, two cricket giants are playing in a World Cup. Sri Lanka is lucky enough to host two of the great teams, great rivals in Sri Lanka. Hopefully, we'll have a big battle on Sunday. India obviously have an edge. But the way Pakistan is playing, the way they played against the USA, it's not going to be an easy win or easy game. I think it's going to go down the wire and hopefully we can see a great game against India-Pakistan again," Kapugedera told ANI. Defending champions India are currently at the top of Group A and ahead of Pakistan on Net Run Rate, both teams having won their initial two fixtures. India arrives in Colombo after beating Namibia by 93 runs in New Delhi. Heading into the match, India already has the upper hand over Pakistan, having defeated the arch-rivals three times in their previous encounters last year, including the T20 Asia Cup final. Kapugedera also believed that Abhishek Sharma will be a game-changer for the Indian team in the tournament, saying he's the guy who's been powering India's top order, giving them those explosive starts that let them post big totals or chase down scores with ease. However, Sharma's participation against Pakistan is doubtful, as he missed the second clash in New Delhi against Namibia due to a stomach infection. In the shortest format, Sharma has scored 1,297 runs in 38 matches and 37 innings at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, with two centuries, eight fifties, and a best score of 135. He entered the T20 WC as the world's top-ranked T20I batter. In three matches against Pakistan, he has scored 110 runs in three matches at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, with a best score of 74. "I think Abhishek Sharma is a big player in this tournament going forward because last year, Abhishek was the one who was carrying India's batting from the top. The starts he gave made it possible to go and reach those high numbers when they're batting first or when they're chasing to chase down the scores easily. So Abhishek Sharma being in the team will make a big difference, and I think he will be a star performer if he plays the Pakistan game," Kapugedera added. Speaking on the four semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup, Kapugedera said, "I would say India-Pakistan and New Zealand and South Africa." (ANI)
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