ndia fast bowler Ishant Sharma said Pakistan is already under heavy pressure from their own fans, and any added expectations from India would be an extra burden. After losing both Asia Cup matches against India, doubts remain about Pakistan’s ability to challenge their arch-rivals.
Pakistan first lost by 7 wickets in the group stage and then by 6 wickets in the Super 4 opener, extending their poor record against India. In T20Is, India leads with 11 wins out of 15 matches, while Pakistan has 3 victories, and one ended in a tie. India captain Suryakumar Yadav recently downplayed the rivalry between the two sides.
On Raj Shamani’s podcast, Ishant noted that Pakistan’s toughest matches came during the era of legendary players like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Afridi. “Seeing their fans shouting from the stands, sometimes I feel bad for them,” he said.
Although Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the Super 4, their road to qualification remains tough. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan has two points and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.226. India tops the table with two wins and an NRR of +0.689, keeping them favorites for the final. The second spot could be decided in the Pakistan vs Bangladesh clash, with Pakistan’s qualification chances relying on India’s performance against Bangladesh.
