(AFP Photo)
The cricketing world braces itself for the resurgence of the most fervent rivalry as India gears up to take on Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024, tomorrow at the Nassau County Stadium in New York.
With anticipation building, the tension surrounding this marquee clash is palpable. Even Indian skipper Rohit Sharma acknowledges the intensity of the upcoming encounter, highlighting the challenging nature of the high-stakes showdown.
“When you play Pakistan, it is always challenging. For us, we just need to think about it as another opposition that we want to beat them and play well against them, there is a whole lot that we need to do,” Rohit stated in a talk with Star Sports.
India maintains a commanding 6-1 lead over arch-rivals Pakistan in T20 World Cup encounters, aiming to extend their dominance on Sunday.
The Men in Blue continue to hold sway over their counterparts in the T20 World Cup, having secured six victories out of seven previous encounters.
The anticipation for this fixture is palpable, as it represents the pinnacle of excitement and challenge for the players. Virat Kohli echoes this sentiment, expressing his eagerness to embrace the forthcoming clash.
“World Cup is a different emotion, different feeling and you can sense that build up. There is nervousness in the air and everyone is buzzing. I love those moments and we play for such moments. It is very fortunate to experience it,” said Kohli.
“The atmosphere outside the stadium, all these things are not quite noticed or spoken about but leads up to the game like this which makes it so special. The moment I stepped on the field, I felt that energy in the stadium. Everyone was waiting for that game to start and you can feel that palpable energy in the air,” he added.
India kicked off their T20 World Cup journey with a convincing eight-wicket triumph over Ireland, whereas Pakistan stumbled to an unexpected defeat against co-hosts USA in their inaugural Group A encounter.
