Sachin Tendulkar picks his semi-finalists of T20 World Cup 2022: Want India to be the champion

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar said that he would want the Rohit Sharma-led side to become,

The T20 World Cup 2022 champions and also named India, Pakistan, Australia and England as his favourites to reach the semi-finals of the ongoing tournament. While India, Pakistan and South Africa are all part of Group 2 in the Super 12, Australia and England are in Group 1.

Notably, India, who are heading into this tournament on the back of successive T20I series wins against Australia and South Africa in home conditions, will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on 23 October. The Indian team won the T20 World Cup once, in 2007 when they defeated Pakistan in the final of the inaugural edition in Johannesburg.

“Champion… I would want India to be the champion but my top four would be India, Pakistan, Australia and England. New Zealand is a dark horse, so is South Africa because they know the conditions and in South Africa, you get to encounter these conditions in September-October,” Sachin Tendulkar was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

India are without the services of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja for the tournament and their absence could hurt their chances. Bumrah has been ruled out of action due to a back problem while Jadeja is out with a knee injury.

Sachin also said that the runners-up of the previous edition, New Zealand, and South Africa are the dark horses in the tournament.

“Pitches are more or less the same, that’s why I am saying the same. But the top four would be there, the other two are dark horses who may sneak in from the back door,” Sachin added.