Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to renew cricket’s most adrenalin-fuelled rivalry in today (Sunday)’s T20 World Cup match in Melbourne but the threat of rain looms over the blockbuster featuring the former champions.
With bilateral cricket remaining suspended between the neighbours, thanks to their soured political relations, emotions run high every time they clash in multi-team events in a neutral venue.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is set to become a cauldron of emotions but the tournament’s most anticipated clash could prove a damp squib with rain forecast this weekend and India skipper Rohit Sharma said his team will be ready.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘pressure’ because pressure is constant, I would like to take this as a challenge,” Rohit told reporters on the eve of the blockbuster clash.
“This Pakistani team is a very challenging team.”
India have usually dominated Pakistan on the cricket field since the late 1990s but have lost two of their three previous matches including last year’s T20 World Cup group game in the United Arab Emirates.
India, ranked number one in the T20 format, have also not lifted a world title since the 2013 Champions Trophy and missed the final of the recent Asia Cup despite being favourites.
“The toss does become a little important. But again, I’ve been hearing about the Melbourne weather for a while now and it keeps changing,” Rohit said. “You don’t really know what is going to happen tomorrow (Sunday).
“The things that are in our control we’ll try and control… We need to come here thinking that it’s a 40-over game. We’ll be ready for that. If the situation demands that it’s a shorter game, we’ll be ready for that as well.
A lot of the guys have played such kinds of games before, and they know how to manage themselves in a situation like that where you’re getting ready for a 40-over game and then suddenly it’s a 20-over game for both sides.“
Read: Rain, Pakistan or India, who will win? MCG set for epic showdown
Players from both sides have sought to downplay the hype around the match even though tickets sold out within five minutes of going on sale earlier this year.
They even hobnobbed with each other though many suspect the bonhomie is a coping mechanism to deal with the pressure of expectation from their unforgiving fans back home.
India will be particularly under pressure to avoid a repeat of the last year’s World Cup when a 10-wicket thumping by Pakistan in their opener set the tone for their early exit from the tournament.
The strike rate of their top order and death bowling remains a concern for the inaugural champions who are without injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Read: Bracing for Sunday’s India vs. Pak T20 in Melbourne
The onus is on their explosive middle order, led by the swashbuckling Suryakumar Yadav, to come good against Pakistan’s formidable pace attack bolstered by Shaheen Afridi’s return from a knee injury.
Afridi had removed Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in last year’s tournament to set the tone for their comprehensive victory and the left-arm speedster would be eager to prove his class on Sunday.
Pakistan’s much-maligned middle order showed signs of form in the recent tri-series in New Zealand but a lot would depend on what kind of start they get from Mohammad Rizwan, currently the top-ranked T20 batter, and skipper Babar Azam at the top of the order.
“It’s a high-pressure game but we’ll try to keep it simple and keep faith in our abilities and the practice that we’ve done,” said Babar.
India’s Yadav separates Rizwan and Babar in the official rankings and fans would be justified in expecting batting fireworks in a match featuring the world’s top three T20 batters.
“I have already said weather is not in our hand and whatever the situation is we are ready for that as a team,” he said to a query on weather forecasts and the middle order. “As a professional you have to be ready for every situation. So we are ready.”
The team would try to give its best and 100 per cent on the day as result was not in their hands. “We only have our efforts.”
He added that off the field the team’s bonding with every other team was good not just with India, adding that such things help on the field. “Whatever the situation is everyone tries to give 100% for their side.”
Babar said that left handed batter Shan Masood has recovered and has no such injury. “He is ready for tomorrow. Secondly, we have not seen the pitch.”
To a query on tackling India’s Yadav, he said that the team has a plan for every player and they try to execute that.
“Fakhar has not fully recovered and it will take two to three matches for him to get fit,” he said and praised all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz. He stressed the need for scoring more runs via running between the wickets.
“There is a challenge in every match. You cannot take any team easy,” he said, “especially in T20 some games are fast so you have to take fast decisions.”
He called for being positive as the game was short. Babar praised pacer Haris Rauf for turning up in a different match and did not let the team feel Shaheen’s absence.
Haris plays for Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big Bash League and is aware of the conditions.
“It will be known on the day. You never know… this is a T20 game. Any player can surprise you on the day as this is a short format. Any player can win your matches and I have full belief in my team. The middle order has won many matches and they have given performances in difficult times so I as a captain believe in and we should be ready for everything.”
