India look for turnaround against Pakistan

AFP: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s India will be looking to bounce back from their shock opening defeat when they take on a resurgent Pakistan in Saturday’s World Twenty20 blockbuster in Kolkata.

Red-hot favourites India were stunned by an unfancied New Zealand on Tuesday when they were shot out for 79 in Nagpur – their lowest score on home turf in T20 internationals.

But India’s limited-overs skipper has full faith in his side that came into the tournament on the back of 10 wins in 11 T20 matches, including victory in the Asia Cup.

“What’s important is how to turn around and how to come back strong and I think this team has done this plenty of times,” Dhoni said after the New Zealand loss.

After their stumbles in Nagpur, India’s frontline batsmen Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli will have to find their feet against a hostile Pakistan pace attack which includes the in-form Mohammad Amir.

The Pakistani paceman, on the comeback trail after serving a prison sentence and a five-year ban for spot-fixing, ended with impressive figures of 2-27 in his team’s victorious opener against Bangladesh.

Although India registered a commanding victory over Pakistan in last month’s Asia Cup, their batsmen were far from comfortable against Amir, with Kohli congratulating him for “an amazing” spell of bowling.  

While the pitch in Nagpur turned dramatically, Eden Gardens is seen as offering more bounce and Dhoni could well be tempted to play a fit-again Mohammed Shami on what is be the speedster’s home ground.