Krunal Pandya’s T20 World Cup exclusion dampens plans to play with Hardik

Krunal Pandya will have to push his hopes for playing with brother Hardik Pandya at the upcoming T20 World Cup as the elder sibling has not been included in the Indian squad, which was announced Wednesday evening.

Earlier that day, Krunal Pandya said that he hopes to play alongside his brother in the T20 World Cup and the “plenty of World Cups coming”.

In an interview ESPNCricinfo, 30-year-old Krunal Pandya vouched for his own form and said he is fit to play at any point in the 20 over innings while batting or fielding. 

He said, “With bowling as well, I have bowled in powerplays, I have bowled in the middle overs, I have bowled those 16th-17th overs and I have bowled the 20th as well. I can perform any role the team requires of me. I don’t want to be a one-dimensional player”, according to reports from ESPNCricinfo.

Also Read: Hardik, Krunal Pandya to donate 200 Oxygen concentrators to rural India

The all-rounder added, “I do not want to be a player who can only do some particular role. I want to be that player who is flexible and ready to do anything for the team, whichever team I play for.”

Krunal, who made his ODI debut earlier this year against England in March, was handed over the traditional debut cap by his younger sibling. According to reports from Zee News, Hardik and Krunal Pandya became the first brothers to play for India after 9 years.

India have been placed in Group 2 alongside Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup fixtures. India will start their campaign in a clash with Pakistan on October 24. The team will play three of their four matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. One match will be played against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium.  

Yuzvendra Chahal and Shikhar Dhawan have also been excluded from the Indian squad for the upcoming world cup.