Anil Kumble, the former coach and captain of the Indian cricket team recently shared his perspective on the historic rivalry between India and Pakistan. Both teams find themselves in the same group in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 and are set to face each other on September 2 in Pallekele.
The looming contests between India and Pakistan could potentially occur up to five times between the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC World Cup 2023. The teams might meet in a crucial final in the Asia Cup and again in a virtual semi-final in the ICC World Cup.
The intensity of the rivalry has escalated since Pakistan’s triumph over India in the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2017 and the T20 World Cup in 2021. India responded by clinching a tense victory in a T20 World Cup clash last year.
In the context of the Asia Cup, the two teams clashed twice during Asia Cup 2022, with India securing a win in the group stage and Pakistan prevailing in the Super 4 stage, leading to India’s elimination from the tournament.
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Discussing the pressure surrounding the IND-PAK rivalry during his active playing years, Anil Kumble revealed that the expectations were enormous, and winning against Pakistan was paramount. He recalled how people would say “lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan.” The pressure and anticipation weighed heavily on the players, a testament to the intensity of India-Pakistan matches.
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“In our times, the word was ‘lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan.’ There was pressure and expectation on the players. That’s how the matches between India and Pakistan are being played, and the key is to treat it as just another match,” Kumble shared in an interview with TOI.
Remarkably, between 1992 and 2019, India never suffered a defeat against Pakistan in seven encounters at the ICC World Cup. The two teams are set to cross paths once more in this year’s World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 14, as reported. Originally slated for October 15, the match was rescheduled to accommodate Navratri celebrations.
Kumble himself boasted an exceptional record against Pakistan, claiming 81 wickets in 15 Test matches and 54 wickets in 34 ODIs. He reflected on his famous 10-wicket haul against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla in 1999, acknowledging the unpredictability of cricket.
“I did not go onto the field thinking of a 10-wicket haul, though that is the dream of any bowler. However, in the next Test match against Pakistan, the Asian Test Championship at Kolkata, I was struggling to take even one wicket. That is the game of cricket for you,” Kumble stated.