New Delhi [India]Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said that the India vs Pakistan cricket match is equivalent to the Super Bowl, the final championship title match of the US National Football League, one of the most-watched tournaments in the world.
The highly anticipated clash between Asia’s two biggest rivals will take place at the ICC T20 World Cup at the Nassau County Stadium in New York on June 9.
“Americans who know about this tournament should know that the Pakistan-India game is like the Super Bowl for us. I loved playing against India and I believe it is the greatest rivalry in sports,” Afridi wrote in an ICC column.
“We received a lot of love and respect from the Indian fans when we played in these matches and it means a lot to both the teams. Against India, it will be about how you handle the pressure of the spot. There is so much talent in both the teams and we just need to put it together on the day,” he added.
Afridi believed that the large South Asian expat community provides immense love and support for the game, paving the way for its future growth.
“People will love the support in the US. There is a great expat community in the US who loves cricket,” Afridi said.
“Americans absolutely love their sports – football, basketball, baseball – and I think cricket will take over in the next few years, which is very exciting for aspiring cricketers,” he added.
He refused to pick favourites for the India vs Pakistan match but backed both the Indian and Pakistani teams to overcome their recent poor performances and perform at their best in the tournament.
“Pakistan showed in the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that they are capable of challenging anyone and while 2024 is uncertain, I think they have all the pieces in place to put it all together in the West Indies and USA,” he said.
The former all-rounder cited Pakistan’s recent success in the T20 World Cup as a key indicator of how the team has raised the level of its game when it matters most, and he particularly backed Pakistan’s pace attack to shine in the United States and the West Indies.
“In the last two ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, they have reached one final and one semi-final each so there is no doubt about the talent of the team. The Caribbean conditions will definitely suit them,” Afridi said.
“There’s a lot of talent in this team and the bowling attack in particular has a lot of potential. Their fast bowlers are as good as any in the world and they have a deep squad,” he added.
Afridi believed the key to Pakistan’s success was to anchor the team and back its regular players to perform well.
“Performance is much more important than recent form. We have seen many times in T20 cricket that the game can change completely in the space of a few overs. One of the reasons for the somewhat up and down results is [for Pakistan] “It means the selectors are experimenting with young players and giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent,” the former all-rounder said.
“It was important to get the best combination going into the World Cup. Once they get there, I expect them to go for the powerplay, maintain a high strike rate and keep attacking till the 14th over. From there, finishing will be the key,” he added.
Pakistan will open the Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday, June 6, against co-hosts USA in Dallas.
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