Krunal Pandya Targets India's 2019 World Cup Squad

All-rounder Krunal Pandya said that his first major target will be to break into the One-Day International (ODI) squad for India. Krunal Pandya has proved his mettle with both the bat and ball for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has played a key role for the franchise since 2016. The 27-year-old Krunal is however focused in doing well on the international stage and has made it his goal to get picked in the India squad for the upcoming World Cup 2019 to be held in England and Wales.

"My ultimate goal is to play for the country. To play for India in the World Cup and that is the next goal to be very honest," Krunal told the official Mumbai Indians website, who he has represented in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2016.

Krunal, the elder brother of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, recently got his maiden call-up to the India squad for their T20I series against England in July.

The 27-year-old, however, could not make it to the playing XI in any of the three matches of the series that India won 2-1. Despite that he said his focus is to make it to the squad for the quadrennial 50-over extravaganza in England next year.

"I am going tournament by tournament or you can say match by match and if I do well consistently, I'll get what I want. So obviously at the end, the ultimate aim is to play the 2019 World Cup for India. I hope the way I am going, I will achieve that as well," Pandya said.

Describing his maiden call-up to the national side as a "dream come true", Krunal said: "It was like a dream come true for both of us. In the first T20I when Hardik and I shared the dressing room for India, it was a great feeling."

(With IANS inputs)

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