Disappointed after India’s loss in the T20 series against New Zealand at home, Kapil Dev, the former Test captain, is not too optimistic about his country’s chances in the upcoming ICC World T20 2012, which is all set to commence in Sri Lanka on September 18.
The first T20 of the two-match series at Visakhapatnam was washed out due to rain; whereas, the visitors, after getting thrashed in the Test series, bounced back in style to win the second T20 by just one run at Chennai.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a competitive total of 167 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets, thanks to a superb 55-ball 91 by Brendon McCullum.
Chasing the target, India was in a winning position at one stage, needing merely 48 runs off 40 balls with seven wickets in hands; however, the middle-order failed to cross the line.
Having won the inaugural ICC World T20 2007 in South Africa, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and company could not live up to the expectations in the next two editions, failing to even reach the semi-finals.
Being a true patriot, Kapil wants India to win the mega-event but as per his cricketing intellect, he reckons that the Men in Blue will find it tough to go all the way.
"My heart says something and mind says something else. My heart says that India will win the World Cup and my cricketing brain thinks that they will find it very difficult,” the legendary all-rounder expressed. “The way they played in the last T20 against New Zealand is not a good sign ahead of such an important tournament."
Losing the T20 fixture against the Black Caps from a winning position, in the former captain’s opinion, must have dented the team’s confidence going into such an important event.
"India lost from a winning position and one cannot let go opportunities just like that. A team can lose confidence if they are defeats like these," Kapil added.
Dhoni’s men are placed in Group A with England and Afghanistan, and will play their opening encounter against the latter on September 19th at Colombo.
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