"Others Can't Handle Pressure": Mohammad Hafeez Names Two India Players Who Will Be Pakistan's Worry In T20 World Cup Match

Cricket aficionados will be in for a treat when India and Pakistan renew their rivalry in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. Last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule of the tournament, with India and Pakistan facing off in their first match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23. Former Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, has shared his views on the India-Pakistan rivalry. 

Hafeez, who is 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. 

India and Pakistan had met during the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, with the latter 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 is a lot of pressure when both these 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 added.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli Mohammad Hafeez Cricket