India and Pakistan will take on each other in a Group A encounter at the Dubai International Stadium in the Asia Cup on Sunday. Cricket lovers worldwide are waiting for the game to begin with the pressure on Babar Azam and Rohit Sharma being sky high. Ahead of the contest, several India players shared their views about clashes against Pakistan. Among the Indian stars who opened about matches against Pakistan were Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya. However, it was Suryakumar Yadav's reply that won the heart of everyone. The Mumbai Indians batter described a contest between India and Pakistan as the “greatest rivalry in the world”.
“Obviously, when I was growing up, there was a lot of talk around the India-Pakistan games and people say it is the greatest rivalry. But when we go out to the field, it is just another game. When you enter the field, all our preparation and routine we do, reflects on the ground. I just try and stay in my zone when I enter the field,” the in-form Suryakumar Yadav who will be a key man in India's middle-order said about the epic clash against Pakistan.
“First game on 28th, we will try and be in present. Preparation wise, we have not been short. We are not looking at the opposition at all, what we need to achieve as a group is more important than the opposition we play. It is going to be a challenging one so we have to be up for it,” captain Rohit Sharma opined in a video uploaded on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) official website.
Today two teams go one on one in a high octane clash of the #AsiaCup2022
Click below to watch #TeamIndia members speak about Battle Royale #INDvPAK
📽️📽️ https://t.co/7s1ncpc2ZB #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/aomE2U7wxN
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 28, 2022
“It is a great opportunity for us to play 2-3 games, challenge ourselves. Pakistan have been a really good team over the past few years. They have played some excellent cricket, it is a high-pressure game and it will always be that,” India vice-captain KL Rahul added.
“There is an interesting environment. The match is hyped up quite a bit. As a player, we try to give our 100 per cent. Pressure is there in India-Pakistan game, expectations also rise,” Rishabh Pant stated.
“Hype is there outside, a lot of people have emotions attached to the game and we all understand that. For us, we have to make sure that we keep the outside noise outside and we focus on things we really need to,” all-rounder Hardik Pandya concluded.
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam said that the Asia Cup contest between the two Asian rivals will not be as one-sided as their last match when the Men in Green had thrashed the Indians by 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup last year.
“Honestly, that game is a thing of past now. It won't have an impact on Sunday's match. I am completely focused on tomorrow's game. The teams are kind of different, the conditions are different. Although as a side we are confident, we won't talk big ahead of the game. We wish to prove it on the field. As a captain, I am ready to give my 100 percent,” Babar Azam said.
“Every cricket lover around the world waits for this clash. We, as cricketers also enjoy taking part in it. Both the teams try their best to keep their respective fans happy,” the Pakistan skipper noted.
The last time India and Pakistan met on a cricket field, it was Babar Azam and his boys who accomplished their first-ever win over the Men in Blue in a World Cup, beating them by 10 wickets in the ICC T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2021.
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