"Joined Pakistan After IPL": India's World Cup-Winning Coach Lambasted By Great

Babar Azam has a long way to go before becoming a captain who can handle pressure, said former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif, declaring that India would be favourites against his country owing to a more balanced squad when the two sides clash in the T20 World Cup on Sunday. The India-Pakistan showdown, to be held in New York, is one of the most eagerly-awaited games of the ongoing tournament being co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies.

"...the focus is on the game on June 9 against India. Babar (Pakistan captain) will be under a lot of pressure because of the game against India rather than performing in the World Cup," the 55-year-old former wicketkeeper-batter told PTI videos in an exclusive interview.

"But he has to learn to carry pressure, he should learn that from Virat and Rohit. They know how to carry the game. As a batter Babar is one of the best but as a captain and leader, there's a lot that he needs to learn," he added.

Latif said India have superior spinners and based on current form, Rohit Sharma's men are favourites for a win on Sunday.

"Kuldeep Yadav is that one player who if remains fit for India throughout the World Cup, he can cause trouble for batters. He is India's key bowler and also a key to success. Given the current form and stats definitely India has an advantage ahead of June 9," he said.

Latif also pointed out that the Pakistan's preparedness is nowhere close to being as good as it was during its strong performances in the 2021 and 2022 editions, when the team reached the finals.

"The Pakistan team plays well in the ICC tournaments but the team doesn't look as prepared as they were in 2021 and 2022. The damage happened after the last ODI World Cup with changes in captaincy, the selection