Sometimes it’s good to get hammered at the start of the tournament: Graeme Swann

Former England spinner Graeme Swann feels that the 10-wicket loss against Pakistan might be “good” for India. He also highlighted how chasing a target in the shortest format is much easier than setting one, which India had to do after losing the toss on October 24 in Dubai. They were kept to 151/7 by Pakistan before their openers chased the target with 2.1 overs to spare.

“Sometimes it’s good to get hammered at the start of the tournament because it feels like a real kick at the backside. The IPL being played just now, everyone saying India are the favourites, a bit of lethargy can creep into a team. Maybe India will find their edge because of this defeat,” Swann told Cricket.com.

India were rocked as early as the first over when Shaheen Afridi undid Rohit Sharma with a brilliant inswinger. He then claimed the scalp of KL Rahul in his next over, while Hasan Ali got Suryakumar Yadav out. India’s ship was steadied by Virat Kohli (49-ball 57) and Rishabh Pant (30-ball 39) but the bowlers let them down as Pakistan clinched the game on the back of unbeaten half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan (55-ball 79) and skipper Babar Azam (52-ball 68).

“When you chase a total in T20s, it’s five times easier. You know when to take risks and you can pace your innings accordingly. They didn’t have to take any risk. Those two early wickets of Rohit and Rahul, let’s just face it, those two were unbelievable deliveries. Swinging in at more than 90 mph, pitching on off stump and hitting the top of the middle. That was almost an unplayable delivery and then Rohit to face that yorker on the first delivery. That won the game for Pakistan.”

Pakistan are dangerous, dangerous team: Graeme Swann

Heaping praises on the Pakistan skipper, Swann said: “Babar Azam at the minute is a different player with the bat. For ages in England, we kept saying why Joe Root is not part of the famous big three. I mean, you have Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith and then it became the big four. Now Pakistan fans would say ‘hang on a minute’… I saw him score a century at Edgbaston. Oh my word, he is a seriously good player. And his partner at the other end, little Rizzy [Rizwan], he can bat as well.

“Pakistan could easily win this tournament by winning all their games by 10 wickets or lose all their remaining matches, that’s how they go. They are dangerous, dangerous team.”