Arch-rivals In Sunday’s T20 World Cup encounter in Melbourne, India and Pakistan are scheduled to reprise their fiercest rivalry in cricket, but the game is in doubt due to the possibility of rain.
Due to their strained political ties, bilateral cricket between the neighbours is still halted, therefore tensions are high whenever they compete in multi-team tournaments at neutral venues.
With rain predicted for this weekend, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is about to become a boiling pot of emotions for the most anticipated match of the tournament, despite the assurances of Indian captain Rohit Sharma that his team will be prepared.
‘We’ll strive to control the things that are under our control… We must arrive here with the mindset that the game is 40 overs. For that, we’ll be prepared. We’ll be prepared for a shorter game if the circumstances call for it.’
Many of the players have experience with these types of matches, so they are aware of how to handle themselves when a 40-over game suddenly becomes a 20-over match for both teams.
Despite the fact that tickets earlier this year sold out within five minutes of going on sale, players from both teams have attempted to downplay the excitement around the game.
Even while many believe the camaraderie is a coping mechanism to deal with the pressure of expectation from their merciless supporters back home, they even mingled with each other.
India will under extra pressure to prevent a repetition of the 2017 World Cup, when Pakistan’s 10-wicket thrashing of them in their opening match laid the stage for their early elimination from the competition.
The top order’s strike rate and death bowling continue to be issues for the inaugural winners, who are playing without injured paceman Jasprit Bumrah.
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