Dubai, Oct 15 (IANS): Former Pakistan spinner Sana Mir has said that it will be hard to look past Pakistan with regards to the conditions in mind. She added that she liked the way England and West Indies are shaping up for the tournament while India and New Zealand are dangerous sides. The men's T20 World Cup starts from October 17 in Muscat and ends on November 14 in Dubai.
"T20 cricket is so unpredictable and it is almost impossible to pick a winner, especially with squads changing all the time. But with the conditions in mind, it is hard to look past Pakistan. They know UAE so well of course and became one of the best teams in the world while playing there, so I'm not just following my heart in predicting a good tournament for them. My head says the same thing," wrote Sana in her column for the ICC on Friday.
"I like the look of England and the West Indies, while India and New Zealand will always be dangerous too and that's the beauty of T20 cricket -- it's so open," added Sana, who bagged 89 wickets in 106 T20Is for Pakistan from 2009 to 2019.
Sana expressed her enthusiasm over the cricketing action in the upcoming T20 World Cup, drawing back on her experiences in the last few ICC events.
"In recent years, we have been lucky to see some amazing cricket at ICC competitions and so I cannot wait to see what comes next in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021. The last big event that I witnessed was a blockbuster and it was the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final in Australia last year. It is one of my most favourite days in cricket because it was such a celebration.
"Just a few months before that, I was at Lord's for the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final between England and New Zealand, one of the best cricket matches ever. They were both experiences of a lifetime. Much has happened between then and now, and so I think the whole cricket world is looking forward to the Men's T20 World Cup. People will be glued to it around the world, as the best players put on their country's colours again and compete."
The 35-year-old is excited by the way T20 cricket is bringing a change in the overall game. "T20 cricket is changing how cricket is played - and it is exciting to see. It's where skills are enhanced and new ideas are formed and that is why I am looking forward to this tournament."
Sana signed off by saying people around the world will be glued to the action in the men's T20 World Cup.
"It's also a tournament we need. The impact of Covid has been huge and so I think every cricket watcher is going to enjoy the next few weeks. And the best part is it's such an open tournament."