Irfan Pathan looking forward to playing Pakistan in warm-up game – Cricket News Update
Indian all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Irfan-Pathan-c1601 has expressed his excitement at the approaching contest between his team and arch-rivals Pakistan, as both neighbours prepare to face each other during a widely anticipated warm-up match prior to the ICC World Twenty20 2012
in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 this month, due to played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 17.
Strained diplomatic relations between the two countries have taken their toll on the sporting ties between India and Pakistan, who have not played a bilateral series against each other since 2007, after the terror attacks in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 led to a complete freeze
in relations between the two neighbours.
However, a recent thaw in the deadlock has led to the announcement of a short bilateral series in India later this year. Meanwhile, both teams have continued to play each other in international tournaments – they faced each other in a semi-final during the
2011 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Cup last year at Mohali, where the Men in Blue emerged triumphant.
Their latest encounter was during the Asia Cup held in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 – while India again won their match against Pakistan, the Men in Green went on to win the tournament.
With every encounter between the two sides causing a media frenzy and drawing huge crowds, the potency of an India-Pakistan clash may be gauged by the excitement being generated for a mere warm-up match prior to the World T20, with emotions running high
on both sides.
“We are going to look forward to win that game. We are playing Pakistan after a long time,” said left-arm pacer Pathan, who will be playing his first T20I against the Men in Green since 2007. “Especially I am playing against them after a long time. Since
three years I have not played against them. Really looking forward to play against Pakistan and perform well.”
India faced http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 for a tense final during the 2007-2008 edition of the World T20, which they won, going on to be crowned world champions. However, the two rivals have not come face to face in the next two editions of the competition – in 2009, and in
2009-2010. In the current tournament, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 and Pakistan have been placed in separate groups, but may have a chance of facing each other if they make it past the group stage.
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