New Delhi: Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes India are a far more superior team than their arch-rivals Pakistan going into the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman.
India will face Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup on October 24 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Gambhir, who scored a memorable 75 against Pakistan in the 2007 World T20 final, said that the head-to-head record is in India's favour and there will be lot of pressure on neighbours.
''Expectations are going to be really high from Pakistan as well, and at the moment, if you see, India is far more superior to Pakistan,'' Gambhir said on Star Sports show Game Plan.
''In a T20 format, anyone can beat anyone because it is a very individual kind of format, and we should not take any team for granted. For example, you should not take Afghanistan for granted. People like Rashid Khan can create upsets. It’s the same with Pakistan. But, yes, there will be pressure on Pakistan,'' he added.
The cricketer-turned-politician also said that Afghanistan is the real underdogs in the tournament and they can certainly cause a few upsets.
''I have always been a believer that if you want to talk about one team that is going to be a real underdog in this tournament, that must be Afghanistan. Additionally, they have got people like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, and Mohd Nabi, you can’t take them players lightly,'' he said.
Gambhir also feels that the group 1 which comprises Australia, West Indies, England and South Africa is the 'Group of Death'.
''Group 1 is the group of death, and that’s actually the real group. You’ve got four teams locked in and playing what, on day one of the T20 World Cup, that’s going to be a very exciting Saturday. West Indies have always been very unpredictable with the kind of firepower they’ve got - they can go on to win the third time as well, '' he said.
''England has also got the firepower; they have probably got the most consistent white-ball team over the last couple of years – after winning the 50-over World Cup. Australia has literally gone off the radar, probably because a lot of main players are missing, but then again, I think they can be very dangerous on that particular day,'' he added. (UNI)