“Payback?” Team India has to fire against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup
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India vs Pakistan
It’s an oft-repeated theme, India versus Pakistan. And when it happens to be a stage as big as the ICC World T20, the stakes are even higher. On Sunday, when Rohit Sharma’s men take on Babar Azam’s warriors in green at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), tempers will be frayed and fans will be chewing their nails.
All this, of course, is subject to the weather clearing up in Melbourne. It’s a funny city. This is the changeover period from winter to summer and temperatures are still fluctuating in the capital of Victoria state. The highs are around 18 degrees Celsius and the low is around 13 degrees.
To be sure, the MCG is a historic and picturesque venue. Situated adjacent to the tennis facility which hosts the season’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, the MCG has produced cricket of Biblical proportions. As much as fans pray for an Indian win, they also need to pray for the weather gods to ensure a clear sky. If not, as per current predictions, there is an 80 percent chance of precipitation, which is bad news for all fans from India and across the border.
India versus Pakistan is not just a cricket match. It brings out passion and emotion which could result in commotion. The stakes are high. National pride zooms, players are supposed to perform like computers, and it’s hard for fans to accept an Indian loss. The defeat in the Asia Cup, in the second match to Pakistan, hurts. So does the loss to Pakistan in the last edition of the ICC World T20 held in the off-shore venues of the UAE. So, this time, there is every reason Team India have to produce a win.
Minus the star bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Deepak Chahar, the Indian attack looks weak. The batting is a conundrum. Yes, Virat Kohli has bounced back to form. However, the skipper himself (Rohit Sharma) looks shaky, and his deputy KL Rahul as well. All eyes are now SKY – Surya Kumar Yadav. Imagine, a country with a population of over a billion is now expecting one SKY to deliver. No, this is not right. Team India have to fire and break the jinx.
Also Read: India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup: What to expect from pitch at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Drought of ICC titles has dragged on too long
It seems like ages since the time the Men in Blue won an ICC Trophy. The last win was the ODI triumph in 2011. Before that, in 2007, India won the inaugural T20 World Cup. Much has changed since then. T20 has been defined and refined over and over again.
Today, T20 cricket is as unpredictable as buying a lottery ticket. Imagine, West Indies did not make the cut. And minnows is a wrong word to use as teams without hype now create hope. This is why India need to worry. They have the financial power to flex muscles. They have the cash bags to buy big players and even leagues abroad.
What money can’t buy is a triumph in the ICC events. Social media will be peaking on Sunday. The match is being held one day before Diwali. While there may be a ban on firecrackers in India, there is no ban on fireworks on the cricket field. This time, it is not Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu who has to produce the fireworks. It’s Team India that has to sparkle and provide the sparks.
Should the match be washed out, both teams will split points. Fingers crossed. The weather in Melbourne can be as fickle as London. Winning against Pakistan is just the beginning fans are hoping for. The acid test is clinching the trophy. If not, fans will rip apart Team India and everyone linked with the think-tank.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Today’s weather forecast in Melbourne for India vs Pakistan
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)