#360view: India & Pakistan players need nerves of steel

Barnaby Read 23:59 18/03/2016
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The World Twenty20’s hot topic will finally leave the lips in Kolkata on Saturday as India take on Kolkata at Eden Gardens.

It is one of the most fierce rivalries in the sport and this fixture has, like so many before it, been filled with controversy, political influence and a keen sense of intrigue well before a ball has even been bowled.

While their Test history dates back to 1952, the two nations have only met seven times in T20Is.

Back at the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007 the tone was set for a remarkable set of matches between the two conflicting neighbours, one dominated by India in the ensuing contests.

Four of the games have gone to the last over and who can forget India’s most recent, comprehensive win over Pakistan at the Asia Cup that had Virat Kohli not expertly played out the brilliant Mohammad Amir the result could have been much different.

Since beating Pakistan in a bowl-out (remember them) nine years ago, India have won every match bar one when they were defeated in Bangalore, the only series between the two nations outside a World T20 tournament.

It has caused delight and dismay in the respective camps and sets of supporters, reflected in television adverts in India at the last two competitions making light of an imagined future generations of Pakistan fans still waiting for an elusive win of note of their former bed-mates.

That dominance has been a combination of greater nerve, clinical individual performances and a better understanding of the game thanks to the success of the IPL – a tournament that only featured a handful of Pakistan players in 2008, their cricketers otherwise barred from taking part.

Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez all played in that 2008 event and are still crucial parts of this Pakistan team and have since led the PSL revolution aimed at doing for Pakistan’s T20 cricket what the IPL has done for India.

On early evidence here at the World T20 Pakistan is catching up, whereas India showed a remarkable misunderstanding against spin in their own backyard with a team seemingly peaking at the right time to claim a second World T20 crown.

It’s an old cliché but form does go completely out the window in these contests.

The pressure on the players in these instances is immense and will be amplified at a charged Eden Gardens.  Hit a six or take a wicket and you’re a hero. Drop a catch or get bowled and the vitriol that follows is unbearable.

While T20 cricket is a million miles away from cricket’s true Test, India vs Pakistan is the closest you’ll get to replicating the mental demands of a team in this takeaway version of the sport.

Fortunately for both sides it seems like they have the players to take it on and perform under such pressure.

Amir and Kohli are the bright futures of both nations, shining in contrasting light but both undoubtedly huge talents destined to lead their nations into new dawns.  Around them they have huge experience and other young, fearless cricketers like Sharjeel Khan and Jasprit Bumrah who are ready made for these occasions. And while Pakistan have largely played catch up, things seem to be finally clicking into gear.

For India, they will be determined to respond in kind to their humbling at the hands of New Zealand and what better way to do so than with victory over Pakistan?

What that opening defeat has done, however, is put an incredible amount of pressure on the Indians and MS Dhoni in particular. For them, defeat will surely increase calls for Kohli to take over with exit at the Super 10s a real possibility.

It is T20I cricket’s ultimate live or let die moment and will boil down to how the players handle expectation and react in the heat of the moment, a huge amount of trust in you and your teammates’ ability needed in such moments of importance. Both sides have something to prove and both have squads of huge talent.

What should be assured is that this match, like so many of those India vs Pakistan roller coasters of years gone by, will be an enthralling spectacle and most likely serve up the fiery, controversial and engaging cricket that makes it such thrilling viewing.

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