T20 World Cup 2021: 5 points that make Pakistan the favorites to defeat New Zealand

Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Muhammad Rizwan helped Pakistan break their World Cup jinx against India in their first match of the T20 World Cup 2021. All three men are being hailed for their excellent performances that helped Pakistan defeat India for the first time in a World Cup match.

Things are still just warming up in the T20 World Cup as there are several matches to go in the tournament. While many casual fans in Pakistan would believe that they’ve already won the trophy by defeating arch-rivals India, there are several mountains still left to climb to simply make it to the semi-finals.

New Zealand will pose a big threat to Pakistan’s World Cup dream on Tuesday evening. The Kiwis are one of the strongest sides in the tournament, and Pakistan will need to regroup and focus on the next challenge.

The Men in Green will need to play as a unit once again in hopes of defeating the other men from Down Under. After Pakistan’s phenomenal victory in their opening match, it looks like the team is ready to take on any challenge head-on.

With that being said, take a look at the five points that make Pakistan the favorites to win the group match against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2021.

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#5. Pakistan will look to take revenge from New Zealand for what they did in September in the T20 World Cup 2021

New Zealand arrived in Pakistan for a bilateral series in September in preparation for the T20 World Cup 2021. However, the Kiwis had a change of heart just minutes ahead of the tour-opener at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, on September 17.

New Zealand’s decision to pull out of the tour after arriving in Pakistan raised many questions. Their decision was based on a "security threat" that was never shared with the authorities.

Die-hard fans of cricket in Pakistan have been waiting for these two teams to collide in the T20 World Cup in hopes that the Green Shirts will win. Many fans have dubbed this match a bigger deal than Pakistan’s clash against India.

The Pakistan team will be under as much pressure during this clash as they were during the match against India. This could prove to work in the Cornered Tiger’s favor as the team usually performs better under pressure.

Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Babar Azam, and Muhammad Rizwan have already proven their worth in Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup 2021 group match. Fans will be hoping to see the four men replicate their performance once again.

This will be more than just a cricket match for many cricketing fans. It will be a chance to avenge the setback inflicted on Pakistan cricket by the Kiwis.

#4. Pakistan is off to a dominant start in the T20 World Cup 2021

Pakistan’s performance in their first match of the T20 World Cup 2021 is still the talk of the town in the subcontinent. Many fans will be aware that it will be nearly impossible for the Green Shirts to replicate their performance on Tuesday evening.

The first match’s performance has uplifted the mood in Pakistan’s locker room. It will help the Men in Green give New Zealand a tough fight.

Many players showed great temperament in the first match, and the fielding was great from all eleven players. The momentum of the victory against India could help Pakistan put on another good performance in the T20 World Cup.

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#3. Pakistan has a better head-to-head record against New Zealand in T20Is

Statistics have always played a massive role in big matches. Looking at the numbers, Pakistan have a clear advantage over the Black Caps in T20 matches.

The Men in Green have faced New Zealand in 24 T20 matches at the international level. New Zealand has won 10 of those matches, while Pakistan has picked up the win in 14.

With a near-60% win percentage, Babar Azam's men have a clear advantage over the Kiwis on paper. Things are very different when one takes to the cricketing ground and performs under real-life conditions. However, Pakistan will be walking into the match as the favorite to win in the group match of the T20 World Cup.

#2. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is nursing an injury in the T20 World Cup 2021

New Zealand coach Gary Stead recently reported that Kane Williamson’s elbow injury could keep him away from a few matches at the T20 World Cup 2021.

Williamson is arguably the best batsman in the New Zealand side, and the entire team will depend on him during crucial matches. An elbow injury could affect his performance against a top T20 side like Pakistan.

Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali all love to bowl a few bouncers. Williamson could find it difficult to fight his way through the innings if his elbow affects his performance on Tuesday. Pakistan could look to exploit the captain’s injury to pick up another win at the T20 World Cup.

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#1. Several bowlers and batsmen have hit form for Pakistan

Pakistan’s T20I wins usually come off the back of a couple of remarkable individual performances. Things were very different during the team’s first T20 World Cup 2021 group match against India on Sunday.

The team played as a unit, and many players pitched in during the contest. Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, and Muhammad Rizwan were the true stars of the match. However, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Hafeez also pitched in with some economical overs to keep things tight.

The Pakistani team seems to be playing as a unit in the T20 World Cup. The Green Shirts could prove to be extremely dangerous for any opposition when they play as a team.