The excitement surrounding the India-Pakistan rivalry in World Cups has always been palpable, and former Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis recently spoke about the upcoming clash between the two cricketing giants in the ICC World Cup 2023. Over the years, India and Pakistan have faced each other several times in the 50-over World Cups, and India has emerged victorious in all encounters since the 1992 World Cup when Pakistan claimed the title.
In a recent interview with Cricket Pakistan, Waqar Younis highlighted the key players to watch out for in the Pakistan squad during the upcoming World Cup. He emphasized that the Pakistan team has shown great resilience in handling pressure in recent times, regardless of the venue, and having their game plans in place can make a significant difference.
Waqar identified the match-winners who can play pivotal roles in Pakistan’s campaign, stating, “We have individuals that can win you matches single-handedly, including Babar himself, Shaheen – Fakhar can do wonders, then, of course, we have seen Imam playing great innings, so all-in-all, Pakistan has all the resources definitely, now it’s just a matter of putting things together and handling pressure.”
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Speaking about the pressure of playing against India in India, Waqar acknowledged that in his era, the pressure was relatively less due to the frequency of matches played. However, in the World Cup, Pakistan faced challenges against India. He expressed confidence in the current generation of players handling pressure better and believed that the identified match-winners would be crucial in securing victory for Pakistan in the high-stakes clash.
The ICC World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19 in India, with the campaign opener and finale set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The India-Pakistan encounter, eagerly anticipated by fans, may be shifted to October 14 to accommodate the Navratri celebrations in India.
As the countdown to the ICC World Cup 2023 begins, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the thrilling contest between India and Pakistan, where star players and match-winners will undoubtedly showcase their skills on the grand stage. As per reports, India and Pakistan are scheduled to face off on October 14, a day earlier than the original fixture, due to the Hindu Navratri festival.
