T20 World Cup 2022: "You don't deserve to go to the semi-finals if you lose to Zimbabwe" - Irfan Pathan on India's must-win game

Irfan Pathan believes India don't deserve to reach the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-finals if they can't beat Zimbabwe in their final group-stage fixture.

The Men in Blue will lock horns with the Chevrons in their last Group 2 Super 12 game in Melbourne on Sunday, November 6. They might have to win that game to guarantee themselves a spot in the semi-finals.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked about the chances of the Zimbabwe clash being a must-win game for Rohit Sharma & Co. He replied:

"You don't deserve to go to the semi-finals if you lose to Zimbabwe. This Zimbabwe team, who still have a good bowling lineup but the batting is not that strong, you want to beat them comprehensively."

Pathan added that India cannot take the game easy as they survived against Bangladesh in their last match by the skin of their teeth. He elaborated:

"We saw the match against Bangladesh, it was a close match. If it hadn't rained, the momentum might have gone towards Bangladesh and they might have won. So every game is important."

India were in a spot of bother when Litton Das took the Indian bowling to the cleaners in their clash against Bangladesh. However, a rain break followed by KL Rahul's run-out of the Bangladesh opener changed the course of the game as the Men in Blue scraped through to a five-run win via the DLS method.

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"Somehow find a way to play Chahal" - Irfan Pathan suggests a change in India's playing XI

Yuzvendra Chahal hasn't played a single game in the T20 World Cup thus far.

While expressing his confidence about an Indian win, Pathan asked for Yuzvendra Chahal's inclusion in the playing XI, saying:

"I have a lot of belief because of the way India are playing cricket, the batting is extremely strong and the bowling has raised its standard. But I still want, it is very difficult for the team management, somehow find a way to play Chahal."

The cricketer-turned-commentator wants the leg-spinner to play ahead of either Ravichandran Ashwin or Axar Patel. He reasoned:

"You don't have Bumrah, you still have a weakness in your bowling. If you lose the toss or you have to defend a score, you will have to do your top-level bowling, you need a wicket-taker there. Ashwin and Axar are good bowlers but you will find that Chahal is a better wicket-taker."

Ashwin has featured in India's playing XI in all four of the matches they have played. Axar has also played all the games barring one on the bouncy surface in Perth, where Deepak Hooda was included to add more depth to the batting.