First Game To Set Tone In T20 WC: Hafeez

Former Pakistani Skipper Mohammad Hafeez believed that a win or defeat in the first game for Pakistan and India would set the tone for the rest of the T20 World Cup in Australia

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jan, 2022 ) :Former Pakistani Skipper Mohammad Hafeez believed that a win or defeat in the first game for Pakistan and India would set the tone for the rest of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Hafeez, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, shared his views on the India-Pakistan rivalry.

Cricket lovers would be in for a treat when Pakistan and India meet in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. Last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule of the tournament, with Pakistan and India facing off in their first match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.

Hafeez, who was currently playing for the Asian Lions in the Legends League Cricket (LLC), said that barring Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, other Indian players from the current crop don't seem to have the ability to handle pressure of an Indo-Pak match.

"Virat and Rohit Sharma are two such skillful players who can touch the par when they score runs. I'm not saying that other players are not good but if these two don't do well in India-Pakistan matches, the others can't handle the pressure," Hafeez told Sports Tak as quoted by sports.

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Pakistan and India had met during the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, with the Green-shirts registering a comprehensive 10-wicket win, which was also their first against the opposition in World Cups in any format.

While India crashed out in the group stage, Pakistan were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual champions Australia.

Speaking on the mood inside both the dressing rooms, Hafeez said that there was a lot of pressure when both teams meet, adding that a win or defeat in the first game might set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

"Both teams take a lot of pressure. I've played in many India-Pakistan games, and when you lose the first match, it always has an impact. When we won the first match, you could see that India's body language wasn't the same anymore. Because the amount of pressure a player bears is huge, and if you fail to win, it gets very difficult," he said.