Former Australian
opener Matthew Hayden who was recently appointed as the batting consultant for
the Pakistan cricket team has said that the India – Pakistan clash will have ‘dogfight
conditions.’ In a game of close margins, leadership is set to play a huge role
in determining the winner of the game as per Hayden.

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He went on to give the
example of seasoned captains Eoin Morgan and MS Dhoni, both of whom led their
sides in impressive IPL campaigns while struggling with their individual form.

While speaking at a
media interaction Hayden said, “Their individual performances were not as good as they
have previously done as per their statistical records but the way they led
their troops and conducted themselves played an important part in their teams
reaching the IPL final in UAE conditions,”

He added, “I feel leadership will be key in the coming match
as conditions in UAE leave very little margin for error and there are dogfight
conditions out there.”

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India’s skipper Virat Kohli recently announced that the T20
World Cup will be his last series as captain of the T20 format for India and he
will be eager to leave a mark. Furthermore, the Indian side also receives plenty
of guidance and support from the side’s limited overs vice-captain Rohit
Sharma.

As for Pakistan, skipper Babar Azam’s role will be a crucial
one both as the man leading from the front as well as a batter. He will have to
contribute to the total in order to ensure stability in his side’s batting line-up.

Upon this
Hayden said, “There will be
additional pressure on him as captain and batsman because he will be targeted
and everyone will be wanting to, like they say, put him in their pocket. Babar
has command and presence and he needs to fulfil that role in a batting sense
and captain.”

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The Australian believes that KL Rahul will
pose a big threat for Pakistan and his wicket will play a crucial role. He also
commended Rishabh Pant’s batting skills and his vision for the game.

The arch rivals will
meet for an encounter in a group stage fixture of the ICC T20 World Cup at the
Dubai International Stadium on October 24. It will be the opening fixture for
both sides and they will be hoping to start the tournament on the right note by
registering a win which adds to the spiciness of the encounter.