"Entertainment Ka Time Hai": Suryakumar Yadav's Cheeky Take On India-Pakistan Rivalry
India and Pakistan will renew their rivalry in the Asia Cup Super Four stage on Sunday, just a week after clashing in the group phase.
- India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked if beating Pakistan these days is as satisfying as back in the days
- Speaking on the rivalry, the 35-year-old said he focuses on entertaining the crowd
- 'After going on the ground main apne team ko bolta hu, abhi entertainment ka time aa gaya hai,' he said
India and Pakistan will renew their rivaly in the Asia Cup Super Four stage on Sunday, just a week after clashing in the group phase. After beating Pakistan in a one-sided contest by seven wickets, India captain Suryakumar Yadav and the rest of the players decided not to shake hands with the Salman Ali Agha-led side. Their stance was linked to the strained relations between the two nations in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, during which 26 tourists were killed.
Ahead of the match, the 35-year-old was asked if beating Pakistan these days is as satisfying as back in the days.Â
Speaking after the game against Oman, Suryakumar said, "I don't know about before, since I didn't play back then. We talk about rivalry, I don't know what rivalry you are talking about. After going on the ground, I feel that the stadium is full. Aur jab stadium bhara hoa hai, main apne team ko bolta hu ki chalo bhailog, abhi entertainment ka time aa gaya hai. (And when the stadium is full, I tell my team and everyone that it's time for entertainment."
The batter further revealed that whenever he takes the field, he tells his team that it is time for some entertainment.
"So many people have come to watch the match, so you have to entertain everyone. Let's play some good brand of cricket. And according to me, we don't think much," he added.
He was again questioned about the handshake snub, but the 35-year-old handled the situation well and gave fitting responses.
When a member of the media asked, "In the last match against Pakistan, apart from the bat, India did well in the remaining aspects as well. In the next match, can we expect India to do the same as in the previous game," referring to the Men in Blue's handshake snub, the skipper had a witty response as he said:
"Oh, you mean good performance with the ball? Yes, definitely. There's a good combination of performance with both bat and ball. It feels so good when a stadium is jam-packed and you get support from such a big crowd. We just want to put our best foot forward for the country and do our best in the game."
(With IANS Inputs)
India Cricket Team
Pakistan Cricket Team