He added that the two teams have also been placed in an easy group to ensure that they progress to the next round. India and Pakistan are placed in Group A along with Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA, with the two sides facing each other on February 15.
“As always in recent World Cups, India and Pakistan are not only placed in the same group to ensure at least one clash between the traditional rivals, but are also invariably put in a fairly easy group to qualify for the next round. So the real battle could well start from the following stage of the tournament,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
While India emerged victorious in the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals after losing to India and the USA in the group stage. Gavaskar said that the USA would be a stronger side this time around, given the experience that the players gained from playing in Major League Cricket (MLC).
“We saw the USA beat Pakistan in the last edition of the ICC T20 World Cup when they were co-hosts with the West Indies. They have since improved with experience and by rubbing shoulders with some of the best players in the world in Major League Cricket,” wrote Gavaskar.
“The best part of these leagues is that they help to get rid of the awe factor that players from emerging countries often feel towards some of the big names in the game. Sharing dressing rooms with them, seeing how they prepare, and how they deal with failure are things that cannot be taught in any university. That first-hand experience is what helps to drive their individual games forward,” he added.