Pakistan vs India - What a way to warm up for the World T20 - Part 1 – Opinion
An India- Pakistan encounter is the tensest rivalry in sport, let alone cricket. No competition has managed to stoke feelings of apprehension, sorrow, elation or happiness, as much as a cricket match which features the two South Asian rivals. Both countries have fought three wars over the course of a troubled history and have been at loggerheads over a plethora of issues which ranged in magnitude and significance. The same feeling of animosity and rivalry can be felt on the pitch between these two talented sides which carry the hopes of billions of fans on their shoulders.
In recent times, T20 encounters between Pakistan and India have made way for some exciting cricket. The jaw dropping Group Fixture at Kingsmead in Durban in the 2007 ICC World T20 is a prime example of what a contest between both these sides holds in a global setting. Similarly, Pakistani supporters could break a tear if any of them could recall the nail biting final of the same tournament at the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Sreesanth-c2398 to spark wild celebrations in the Indian contingent of the crowd. The shot and the scenes which accompanied Pakistan’s misery has become a part of T20 cricket’s most prized images.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 would be providing a nerve jangling contest, where the victor would gain much needed momentum into the tournament. It will be more of a psychological battle, where playing in a clash of such proportion would have a significant impact on the manner in which the players play on the pitch. Sweaty palms, tense faces and shaky legs are bound to grace the pitch in Colombo, where defeat would simply be considered as unacceptable by either camp.
If one is to go upon current form, then Pakistan might actually feel the pressure more than their rivals. The team has been finding it hard to recall the last time they managed to beat their South Asian neighbors, and that too convincingly. India on the other hand, has had an upper hand on their neighbors in all three formats, since the 2003 fifty over World Cup in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229 had retired. Yet despite the relative disparity between both teams on paper, this year’s India/Pakistan encounter is bound to be characterized by top class cricket from both these teams.
Continued in Part 2....
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