According to former Indian cricket player and pundit Navjot Singh Sidhu, people mistake India’s victory against Pakistan for a World Cup victory. On June 9, Sunday, India and Pakistan will square off in a thrilling match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York
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Fans excitedly anticipate the meeting between the two teams because they have a long history of intense rivalry. Since there hasn’t been a bilateral series between India and Pakistan in more than ten years, everyone’s attention has been focused on ICC competitions to see the two teams compete.
Sidhu discussed the long-standing rivalry between the two teams in an interview with Indiatoday. He recognized the emotional attachment that the supporters of both countries had to the game and that neither team would ever want to concede a loss.
“No one accepts defeat here. It’s the culture of retribution. Defeat is not bitter if you swallow it, but here no one wants to accept the defeat. You lose from anyone, you should not lose against Pakistan. If you win against Pakistan, you have won a World Cup. People equate,” Sidhu said.
“There is always backlash and ratribution over loss. No one wants to lose here. However, now things have changed a bit, as the teams do not get to play against each other quite often. It’s the sportsperson who connects, as a cricket match is a unifier.”
In the T20 World Cup 2024, both teams will enter the encounter with divergent records. On June 5, India defeated Ireland by eight wickets in their opening match. The USA squad, meanwhile, shocked Pakistan by triumphing in a thrilling Super Over match.
India hold an edge over Pakistan in T20 World Cup matches over the years, having won six out of the seven encounters since 2007.