Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh is hopeful that the team can continue its dominance against arch-rivals Pakistan at World Cups when the two teams meet in the T20 showpiece on June 9. Pakistan have beaten India just once in World Cup (ODI and T20), and that win came at the T20 World Cup in 2021. Barring that match, India have won all the World Cup matches against Pakistan. Yuvraj, a T20 World Cup winner in 2007, also pointed out a ‘crazy’ difference between India and Pakistan fans.
“Well, it’s a game of emotion. If we win, we’ll go crazy. If we lose, we’ll go crazy. But the thing is, if we win, they will go crazy with us. If we lose, they will go crazy with us. That’s the difference,” Yuvraj told the ICC at the opening of Fan Park in New York.
Yuvraj, who is one of the ambassadors of the T20 World Cup 2024, hoped that the Indian players can control their emotions in the game against Pakistan, saying that focusing on the game will help them to win the contest.
“But I think, whether it’s India, Pakistan, or any other game, I’m sure the guys are going 100%. It’s just that I always feel that the team who control their emotion on that day better and focus on the match situation, they will win the game. In the last couple of years, we’ve had a better record than Pakistan. And hopefully, we can continue that,” he added.
Meanwhile, India warmed up for the T20 World Cup with a comfortable win over Bangladesh in their solitary practice game on Saturday.
Electing to bat first, India rode on a blazing half-century by wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (53) and blistering knocks by Suryakumar Yadav 31 off 18 balls and a 23-ball unbeaten 40 by Hardik Pandya to post a challenging 182/5 in 20 overs.
Defending the score, India restricted Bangladesh to 122/9 in 20 overs with pacer Arshdeep Singh claiming 2-12 in three overs and 2-13 by Shivam Dube. Skipper Rohit Sharma used eight bowlers with Jasprit Bumrah (1-12), Mohammed Siraj (1-17) and Hardik Pandya (1-30), and Axar Patel (1-10) being the other wicket-takers.
(With IANS Inputs)
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