India vs Pakistan: Cricket’s Super Sunday is not just another match

The biggest cliché among cricketers ahead of a India-Pakistan game is of them claiming to treat it as ‘just another game.’ Granted that their matches do not make for seminal clashes in the current context – as in terms of any cricket diplomacy – but it’s one game with the biggest stakes in world cricket still.

With no bilateral cricket between them since a ODI series in India in 2013, it has become the match in every major ICC white ball tournament that the world waits for. It’s no secret that the world governing body clubs them in the same group to ensure a money-spinning league game in both limited over World Cups with the promise of another one in the knockout stages. As for eyeballs and engagement figures, the bar keeps getting higher with every game.

‘’This game has a big history, but we will treat it as another match,’’ remarked Shubman Gill, India’s in-form vice-captain at the pre-match press conference. He had been in sublime touch of late in this format during the three-match ODI series against England at home and followed it up with an unhurried, unbeaten 101 on a slow wicket in a tricky chase against Bangladesh on Thursday.

While Gill’s form is a welcome augury for the Indian team and captain Rohit Sharma showing signs of getting back to his nonchalant self in the first game, the same cannot be said about Virat Kohli. The way he fell prey to young leg spinner Rishad Hossain’s ploy while going for an expansive cut – after getting a start – must have been playing on the master batter’s mind.

He landed up for Saturday’s nets session at least two hours earlier than his teammates and immersed himself in a knocking session against team’s throwdown specialist and a few local bowlers. The desperation to serve the team in the match that matters – and of course in what could be his last Champions Trophy – is unmistakeable.

Given the nature on the wicket in the first game, there will be a premium on batters like Kohli who can rotate the strike and steer the team through critical phases. However, the Pakistan pace attack comprising of left arm pacer Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf is a much more well rounded one than India and it’s the initial phase of his innings that Kohli will be more worried about negotiating without any early damage.

‘’There is talk that we don’t have enough spinners in the team while India boasts of five spinners. I feel that we should be playing to our strength, which is pace and our current troika reminds me of our line-up of the Nineties,’’ said Aquib Javed, the former fast bowler and Pakistan head coach.

Looking at the bigger picture, anyone will vouch for that past history does not count for much in this match. While India will be keen to maintain their impregnable record against Pakistan in ICC tournament, having won seven of the last eight 50-over matches, they had faltered badly in the 2017 final of ICC Champions Trophy.

The Men in Blue had entered the final as favourites after having registered a big win in the league stages, but a counter-attacking century by Fakhar Zaman and a dream opening spell by Mohammed Amir caused India’s dreams becoming unstuck.

Cut to the T20 World Cup in 2021, the last time the two teams clashed in the UAE, the Babar Azam-Mohammed Rizwan duo ran away with the match for a 10-wicket win. There is a general perception that Pakistan tends to raise their game whenever these teams play on the UAE – something built on their reputation from the Sharjah days.

In 28 ODIs they played on the UAE soil, Pakistan have a superior head-to-head record of 19-9 but then the last time they clashed here in the 2018 Asia Cup, India had put it across their rivals in back-to-back matches.

The pressure will be high on the green shirts after their 60-run defeat against New Zealand at home, but then when pushed to a corner, they are often known to bring about their A game.

It will be interesting to see which Pakistan turns up at the Dubai International Stadium on the Super Sunday of cricket!

Catch the match:

India vs Pakistan; Venue. Dubai Indoor Stadium; Time. 2.30 pm IST (1 pm UAE)