04 May,2019 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
MI all-rounder Hardik Pandya
Yuvraj Singh reckons his Mumbai Indians teammate Hardik Pandya has a great opportunity to show his all-round ability during the forthcoming World Cup in the UK. Hardik is in top form (380 runs and 12 wickets) in the ongoing IPL season.
Yuvraj, who played a key role in the MS Dhoni-led Team India's World Cup win eight years ago, smashed 362 runs in nine games with four half centuries and a century [113 against West Indies in Chennai] then.
His left-arm spin provided India 15 wickets. The dashing all-rounder wants Hardik to shoulder big responsibilities in the tournament starting May 30 in England. "I was having a conversation with him yesterday and I told him, 'You have a great chance of performing well with bat and ball'. With the kind of form he is in⦠the way he is batting at the moment⦠[in the IPL], it is phenomenal and I hope he carries that form into the World Cup," Yuvraj said at the launch the MoneyGram campaign for the ICC World Cup yesterday.
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About India's No. 4 batsman at the World Cup, Yuvraj said: "All I can say is that No. 4 is a very important position and I am sure they have selected the team thinking about the whole competition. We have to find out who is batting at No. 4. I am sure there are a couple of options⦠we just have to wait and watch," Yuvraj remarked.
According to Yuvraj, the key to World Cup success is the handling of pressure. "The conditions are going to be different. How the guys handle crunch situations will show the character of the team," said Yuvraj, who scored 8701 runs in 304 ODIs.
Also Read: IPL 2019: Hardik has become a better cricketer after forced break, says Krunal Pandya
Though Kuldeep Yadav is struggling in the IPL (four wickets in nine games for KKR), Yuvraj was optimistic of the wrist spinner doing well in England. "I don't assess T20 cricket [form] over 50 overs. He has been effective in England, South Africa and Australia," said Yuvraj.
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