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India T20 World Cup path and previous edition performance
India's group also includes Afghanistan, New Zealand and of course the two qualifiers from round one with Virat Kohli's side set to face Kane Williamson's men and Rashid Khan's side on October 31 and November 3 respectively.
The Indian side will play their remaining two matches against round one qualifiers on November 5 and November 8 respectively. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place on November 10 and November 11, while the finals will take place on November 14.
India, who won the first edition in 2007, have gone close to winning the competition only once since then having reached the final in 2014, when they lost to Sri Lanka in Dhaka. In the most recent edition, which took place at home five years ago in 2016, India were knocked out by eventual champions West Indies in the semi-finals.
Karthik on ICC T20 World Cup and IPL
While two-time champions West Indies come into the 2021 T20 World Cup as one of the favourites, Karthik, who was surprised that 14 years have passed since the T20 World Cup's inception, said the experience will be crucial, but T20 is all about the performance on the given day.
"I think it is 14 years that have gone by - it's very interesting to know that it has been that long - I think that also means 14 seasons of IPL, so basically, we have a lot of T20 experience in that team," Karthik told during Star Sports' show Game Plan: ICC T20 WC Schedule.
"Every guy there has played 150, if not 200 matches of T20, which should give them enough data to take from every time they had a big moment, and that's what you require, experience to handle those big moments and hence I have no doubt that they will qualify to the semi-finals," Karthik added.
"The question is, on that big day - like it happened a few years ago in Bombay - somebody turns up and does well, what are you going to do someone special."
On India’s chances and key player Hardik Pandya
And when it came to India, Karthik, who felt they have a lot of key players, singled out big-hitting all-rounder Hardik as the player who has the ability to single-handedly take the game away from the opposition.
"From India, through the tournament, if they have to find ways of pushing themselves, there are a lot of key players, but I would like to single out this man, who is in the middle of it all - Hardik Pandya," the wicketkeeper said.
"He bats at No.6, he has a job to do every time he comes in, he has the potential to take the game away in the whiff of a breath - that how good he is."
On Hardik the bowler and fielder
While Karthik spoke on the importance of Hardik as the batsman, the former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper also pointed out the all-round ability of the Mumbai Indians star with the ball and on the field.
"So, again with ball, he is very good with it, he is very handy, he can bowl at 85-87 mph, but also mix in the slower ones," Karthik further added.
"Over the period of time, he has shown the mind - what's between your ears they say - to be very strong, very calculated and he is somebody who can come and deliver on slow wickets very well, and that's one of his strengths.
"So I am looking forward to him as a gun fielder as well - we've got a few good fielders there. So, yeah, I think India has it in them overall. Fingers crossed, they go all the way."
