http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028
Indian captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-c73820 has said that his team is under no pressure ahead of the epic semi-final fixture of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Pakistan on Wednesday at Mohali.
The encounter between the arch rivals is surrounded by a lot of ballyhoo all around the world but is at its peak in the Subcontinent, where cricket fans from both countries are unwilling to accept anything less than a victory.
During the pre-match press conference, Dhoni emphasized on the perils of succumbing to pressure for a player in an important match. However, he added that his team will do their best to avoid nervous situations and is only focusing on the game, while trying to find ways to raise their skills in this crucial contest.
The Indian captain said, "When you talk about the hype and the pressure, whether you're thinking about it or not thinking about it, it doesn't really help you perform. What's not helping you perform needs to be kept away. What needs to be done is topping up the skills. These are the vital areas we have been focusing on."
While discussing the outcome of the game, Dhoni wanted his fans to remember the match is only a game of cricket and not war. He said the rules of sport dictate that there only be one winner, while the losing team would just be on the wrong side.
“Somebody has to lose this game, irrespective of what happens about the political talking. At the end of (tomorrow), you'll have one team losing and one team going into the final. That's part and parcel of sport, each and every sport.”
Pakistan’s captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 has also reiterated that there is no pressure on his team ahead of the semi-final against the Men in Blue. With so much at stake, the teams naturally find themselves under immense pressure.
Needless to say, those who understand and follow the game regard moves like this as only strategic that are solely intended to defuse tension which can potentially damage the strongest of teams.
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