India head into the ICC Men T20 World Cup, with high hopes of ending their 15-year drought and claiming their second title thanks to a side packed with talent with both bat and ball. They l be looking to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time at their eighth appearance at an ICC MenT20 World Cup before powering on to victory in Australia. There is only ever one aim for India in World Cups, to win, and the ICC Men T20 World Cup 2022 is no different. Failure to qualify for the semi-finals at the 2021 edition, including a ten-wicket defeat to rivals Pakistan, still stings and serves as motivation to go at least one better this time around - not that any more will be needed. They face Bangladesh, South Africa, and Pakistan in Group 2 of the Super 12, alongside Netherlands and the final qualifier from the First Round.

Much will likely be decided by the opening match, where India play Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 23 October. A win there would at once banish the demons of 12 months ago and produce plenty of momentum for Rohit Sharma's men. Should they get in their stride, they will be a formidable force for any team as they look to clinch their first title since the inaugural edition in 2007. T20 World Cup History; IndiaT20 World Cup history has been one of frustration since claiming the first-ever title in 2007.  Irfan Pathan was the hero 15 years ago, as he took three for 16 as India edged Pakistan by five runs in Johannesburg.

It was a crown that was hard-earned, with wins over England and South Africa in the group stage setting up a semi-final with Australia, where Yuvraj Singh hit 70 off 30 to power India through to the final. But that was as good as it would get for India, with a Super 8s exit in the next three World Cups. Yet India have been edging closer in more recent editions, finishing as runners-up to Sri Lanka in 2014 before a semi-final defeat in 2016 to West Indies. A Super 12s exit in 2021 denied them a third consecutive semi-final appearance, and they will be raring to put that right this time around. There are very few nations whose cricketers play as much T20 cricket as India thanks to the success of the IPL and depth of homegrown talent at its disposal.

And while some sides have played little white-ball cricket in recent months, India have got a number of series under their belts to make sure they are in the best possible form heading to Australia. A tour of England in July saw an impressive 2-1 series victory, including a comprehensive 50-run victory over the hosts in Southampton before following that up with a 49-run win in Birmingham. A 4-1 series win over West Indies then came a few weeks later before a 2-1 home series win over Australia kept up the side good form heading into the World Cup. Defeat by four wickets in the opening match was responded to with consecutive six-wicket victories as Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav starred with the bat for the hosts. Another home series victory came against South Africa, this time KL Rahul the standout, before a warm-up series with hosts Australia seeing the tourists win by six runs in the first match.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP