T20 World Cup: What's on Indian cricketers minds ahead of of Pak vs Ind clash?

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli says game does not know which team is playing on the park

By Web Desk
June 09, 2024
Indian players express their feelings ahead of Pak vs Ind clash. -Instagram/virat.kohli/rohitsharma45/rishabpant

The long-awaited blockbuster match of Pakistan vs India is scheduled to be staged under the lights of Nassau County International Stadium, New York, today.

Meanwhile, ahead of the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup 2024, Star Sports posted a video on X (formerly known as Twitter), in which several stars of the Men in Blue have shared their thoughts on the importance and excitement of the match.

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli said game does not know which team is playing on the park.

“For me its as simple as knowing that the game does not know which team is playing on the park, we are different countries, we have different jerseys, but the game only knows the basics and you reap the rewards of hard work. 

It’s the environment within the stadium that elevates your performances differently, and that happens in the case when we play against Pakistan,” right-handed batter said.

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🗣️="" |="" listen="" what="" blues="" have="" say="" about="" this="" iconic="" clash="" 👀="" there="" is="" no="" fixture="" like="" greatest="" game="" in="" >#t20worldcup<="" a>!

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Moreover, the captain of the Indian team Rohit Sharma along with, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, leg-spin bowler Yuzvendra Chahal, left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, right-arm fast bowler Muhammad Siraj, left-arm spinner Jadeja, and Shivam Dube expressed their feeling of the clash between Pakistan and India.

“Preparation actually, even if we are not playing against them, we still prepare against them. This is just another game for the players, we can’t think that this is a big match, of course every World Cup you play is a big game but we can’t treat this as something different. We just have to treat this as another game that we are playing and we have to win it,” Rohit Sharma said.

“Pakistan has been one team where I’ve been very fortunate, I’ve been able to do well in a lot of games and all those times I was able to do well was not because I was overly excited, it was the fact that I was excited enough but at the same point I was calm and I took the right calls, what is required rather than doing what I wanted to do, and I think in that process I guess I’ve been able to be quite consistent in that and I hope that I continue that,” Hardik Pandya said.

“It’s very exciting match because this is a very special match. We do play cricket, but there are some proud moments for every country and a different environment and we actually feel more pressure in this game because these are such matches which are remembered by people for a very long time so its fun playing this game,” Rishabh Pant said.

“There is no difference among the team members while talking but if you talk with your friends on social media so you automatically feel pressure because they want you to perform well in that match specifically. According to me, if we are playing against Pakistan or Zimbabwe, my mindset and my plans that we discuss in the meeting or in ground after looking at the situation that how to bowl are the same. Instead of discussing that this match is against Pakistan or against Australia, you should focus on how to bowl those four overs of yours, what’s your plan and what does the team want you to do,” Yuzvendra Chahal said.

“Actually, we do not play a lot with Pakistan so fans expect a lot from the team and we also expect a lot, motivation is not required because people at home makes you mod-fit. I don’t’ expect anything from myself but fans do expect a lot. I used to feel under-pressure when I played my first match against Pakistan back in 2018, but gradually I got used to it,” Kuldeep Yadav said.

“Since childhood we’ve seen the excitement for the match between Pakistan and India, so this feeling is different. Last time when we played match against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup so that feeling, environment is totally different. I’m really excited to experience that match,” Muhammad Siraj said.

“The environment created by the people in which they want India to win stays for a day or two, they believe that the match is against Pakistan and some extra efforts are required. Pakistan is an international team and has good players and every team gave their 100% and the team that plays well win the game,” Ravindra Jadeja said.

“I’ve seen the match between Pakistan and India a lot of times on TV, so it was fun watching that. There’s a lot of excitement but there is a slight difference between confidence and over-confidence some acts might be a result of over-confidence. The main aim is to focus on your process, Shivam Dube said. 

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