India have advantage in T20 Cup, says Zaheer Khan

Retired pace spearhead Zaheer Khan believes hosts India can replicate the success of their ICC 50-over World Cup triumph of 2011 in the shortest format this year.

Zaheer performed exceptionally well with the ball when India last hosted an ICC event felt the batsmens’ proficiency against spin would given them added advantage in the forthcoming ICC Twenty20 World Cup starting in March.

“The format is such it doesn’t really matter that much but knowing the sub-continent’s conditions, if you can deal with spin it can be an added advantage,” Zaheer said during an event organised to extend the sponsorship tie-up between the ICC and MoneyGram for eight more years.

“Playing at home adds some pressure but it also gives that special feeling of performing in front of your home crowd, which is definitely an advantage for India. I am sure India will come out with flying colours.

“Playing in the World Cup is special. As an athlete you want to make a big impact in big tournaments and the World Cup is definitely right up there for various reasons. In your career you are going to have very few World Cups so it adds to the occasion.

“Playing in front of the home crowd and winning it in 2011 made it special,” said Zaheer who emerged the top wicket-taker in the premiere tournament along with Shahid Afridi with 21 scalps to help India win the World Cup after a gap of 28 years.

The 37-year-old veteran of 92 Tests and 200 ODIs felt that the impact of Twenty20 could be seen in other formats as well. “It has been amazing. There have been lot of changes which have added excitement to the game. There have been a lot of innovations from the batters.

“Even bowlers have had to stay with that moving game. On the whole cricket has become dynamic. It has attracted new followers who were finding the game lengthy earlier and added new dimensions and different approach as well. The impact of T20 can be seen in ODIs as well as in Test matches as well and the game is moving at a rapid pace and evolving also with time,” he pointed out.