T20 World Cup 2022: “He can do what Zaheer Khan did in the 2011 World Cup” - Brett Lee on Team India pacer Arshdeep Singh
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee reckons that young Team India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh can perform a similar role in the T20 World Cup 2022 knockout phase to what Zaheer Khan did in the 2011 ODI World Cup.
Zaheer was one of India’s standout bowlers in their victorious 2011 ODI World Cup campaign, claiming 21 wickets in nine matches. He picked up key scalps in the semi-finals and the final, although he was a bit expensive.
The Men in Blue will take on England in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10. Arshdeep, 23, who made his T20I debut in July this year, has been one of the star performers of the tournament.
In five matches, the young pacer has claimed 10 wickets at an average of 14.10 and an economy rate of 7.83. Picking the Punjab pacer as one of the players to watch out for in the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2022, Lee said on his YouTube channel:
“Arshdeep Singh has bowled okay under pressure. I think he can do for India what Zaheer Khan did in the 2011 World Cup. Arshdeep is going from strength to strength. He has got a beautiful yorker. He’s worked at his change of pace.
“What I love about what he has done recently, he is varying his line and length (based) on the wicket. He’s changed where his foot lands. I like that about Arshdeep.”
Job done! Looking forward to Thursday🇮🇳❤️ https://t.co/tVN9KNjJuN
Arshdeep has claimed 29 wickets at an average of 17.82 and an economy rate of 8.05 in 18 T20Is so far.
“Keep your eye on Moeen Ali” - Brett Lee
Shifting focus to England, Lee named all-rounder Moeen Ali as the one player to watch out for.
Admitting that the versatile cricketer hasn’t done much of note in the T20 World Cup so far, the 46-year-old asserted:
“We know how good he is. He is a classy all-rounder. He can bat, he can bowl. He hasn’t made any headlines as yet in terms of those big crunch moments. But expect this man to turn it on with the bat and the ball for England. Keep your eye on Moeen Ali.”
Moeen has registered a highest score of 24* in the T20 World Cup 2022 so far and is yet to claim a wicket with his off-spin.