Rivals defuse clash hype
GENERAL conversations about their families and cars are how players from India and Pakistan defuse the hype that surrounds a contest between the neighbours, rival captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam said last Saturday (15).
Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan remains suspended, thanks to their soured political relation, and emotions run high on both sides of the border when they clash in multi-team tournaments.
Excitement is already building for next Sunday’s (23) blockbuster between the former champions in Melbourne but India captain Sharma sought to downplay the hype around one of cricket’s greatest rivalries.
“We understand the importance of the game but there’s no point talking about it every time and creating that pressure within yourself,” the batsman said at the pre-tournament captains’ interaction with the media.
While fans treat every India-Pakistan contest as a battle for one-upmanship, the camaraderie between the sides was evident at the Asia Cup in the UAE.
Sharma and his team mates were seen wishing Shaheen Afridi a quick recovery from a knee injury while the Pakistan speedster wished for Virat Kohli’s return to form.
“At the Asia Cup, and now here, whenever we meet, we talk about how things are back home, how the families are,” Sharma said. “The previous generation of cricketers told us they too used to chat about these things – ‘how’s life? Which car are you planning to buy?’”.
Azam confirmed the bonhomie between the sides off the field despite the rivalry on it. “We don’t even talk cricket when we meet,” the stylish opener said. “He (Rohit) is senior to me. Whenever we come across, I try to tap into his experience since he has served India for such a long
time.”
CAMRADERIE: Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam