Pakistan v India: 'Bigger than the World Cup'
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NEW DELHI: Cricket is just a game, but try telling that to the 22 players who will walk out for the India v Pakistan World Cup match in Adelaide on Feb 15.
The Pool B contest was sold out in 20 minutes and no other team in world sport will be under as much pressure as the two that day with 1.3 billion unforgiving cricket-crazy fans following the contest ball by ball.
Emotions run high every time the south Asian neighbours clash on a cricket ground.
Pakistan, champions in 1992, have never beaten twice winners India at a World Cup.
Many of their fans would not mind their team crashing out from the World Cup early, providing they beat their neighbours. The rivalry assuming the Orwellian concept of serious sport - war minus shooting.
“For many, it's bigger than World Cup,” former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar told a cricket conclave in Delhi on Monday.
“It completely locks out 1.3 billion people. The tension is unbearable and the players' effort level doubles. We could never beat India in World Cup but, God willing, that would soon happen,” said the quick known as the 'Rawalpindi Express'.
A veteran of many such contests, Harbhajan Singh was part of the eventual champion Indian team who beat Pakistan in the 2011 semi-final at Mohali, a contest that gave him sleepless nights.
“The dressing room atmosphere is always tense,” said the feisty off-spinner who could not make the cut for this year's World Cup.
“Much before the dressing room, you think about it in your hotel room. Before last World Cup's match in Mohali, I could not sleep the night before, thinking what if we lose.
“Fortunately we won the next day and again I could not sleep, this time because I was so overjoyed. “A defeat against Pakistan means media would roast us and fans would pelt stones at our house,” said the 34-year-old.
His team mate from the 2011 squad, Piyush Chawla, said the pressure does not come from the team management.
“It comes from elsewhere. Even family members and friends remind us it's a match against Pakistan,” said the 26-year-old leg-spinner.
“Fielding in the deep, you often hear the crowd behind warning you 'better win this match or it won't be easy to get out of the stadium'.”
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Comments (79) Closed
Feb 03, 2015 02:42pm
If Miracle not happen, then India win
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Feb 03, 2015 02:44pm
feel the heat right now....!!!
there are 8 pakistanis and 8 indians in my office floor and we have to come office on the 15th Feb and now everyone is very nice to each side and praising individual stats but I know once the result will come so one party will going to thrashed to other ..... eerrrrrr!!!
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Feb 03, 2015 02:50pm
Pakistan has better record than India in all forms of cricket but the jinx of world cup loses has been haunting Pakistan team. This time round, my gut feeling, the jinx seems over, watch.
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Feb 03, 2015 02:52pm
@Abu.Ashhad Haha I can understand. There was similar tension in 2011 in my office as well.
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Feb 03, 2015 02:54pm
India 6-0
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Feb 03, 2015 02:54pm
My world cup ends when Pakistan beats India, ofcourse first time. But remember there is always first time for everything.
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Feb 03, 2015 02:58pm
It is so much important for India but Pakistan....
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Feb 03, 2015 02:59pm
Bring Anwar Ali .. A psychological impact will work as he was instrumental in U19 Worldcup. Get rid of Parch Ehsan Adil as he cannot bat as well.
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Feb 03, 2015 03:01pm
This time Pakistan will break the jinx . Pakistan will win with a huge margin. Indian team will not reach even in second round. Unless , B C C I pay a lot of money to Pakistani Players to through the match.
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Feb 03, 2015 03:02pm
both teams are pretty much losers
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Feb 03, 2015 03:03pm
Rivalry is good for the game but malice is not and we should have the courage and sportsmanship to congratulate the better players whichever side it may be..
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Feb 03, 2015 03:12pm
i think common people are quite willing to take the game as just another game... they have many more pressing things to think about... it's the media that fuels this kind of hysteria, for its own benefit.... people get taken in by the media created frenzy...
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Feb 03, 2015 03:18pm
I only wish that the Pakistani Team was half as good as the team of 1992.Bowling of both teams is weak but Indian batting much stronger.This will be a one Match World Cup for me anyway got my plate full of other tasks.
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Feb 03, 2015 03:39pm
Please dont make World cup a Pak vs India thing... This is not a bilateral series
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Feb 03, 2015 03:45pm
Beyond apprehension why all this hype is created. At the end of the day the game of cricket should prevail and better team should win.
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Feb 03, 2015 04:00pm
Honestly guys, it's not. It's just a match. A cricket match should not be a big deal. This animalistically powerful urge to beat the other country reflects poor sportsmanship. It's sad how so many people focus their precious energies on negative attitudes. Where we could be if this was all going into something constructive or positive.
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Feb 03, 2015 04:09pm
i think wasim akram & ramij raja fix the match for BCCI once again
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Feb 03, 2015 07:25pm
India will win & Pakistan will lose, congrats to Indian fans in advance,
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Feb 03, 2015 07:39pm
Least significant of all WC clashes between these 2 teams. There is sufficient time between matches to regroup in case of injury or defeats. This tournament is more about dealing mentally. In my view both India and Pakistan would qualify form QF but don't think they are favourites to progress any further though favourites always do not win WC.
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Feb 03, 2015 08:12pm
@Sunil Dhiman Sunil ji, whoever take the pressure on that day and perform well will win, it could be India or Pakistan.
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Feb 03, 2015 08:13pm
This Pakistan India rivalry is a joke. It is only face saving to hide poor performances elsewhere. Remember, it is not "the sub-continent cup", it is "The World Cup"!
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Feb 03, 2015 08:14pm
Pakistan Zindabaad!!!
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Feb 03, 2015 08:15pm
FYI - For Pak beating India and losing the world cup may be acceptable but for India wining the WC is paramount. Pak players should remove from their mind that India is the only game in town.
Given the current form, I am betting on Australia or SA or NZ to win the cup.
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Feb 03, 2015 08:16pm
Why so much of rivalry? Both teams should not get into this media hype and concentrate on thr match.
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Feb 03, 2015 08:29pm
Wish the match ends up promoting sportsmanship not animosity...
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Feb 03, 2015 08:35pm
@Sadiq for what
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Feb 03, 2015 08:38pm
Jeet Hindustan ki hi hogi..
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Feb 03, 2015 08:55pm
@Abu.Ashhad hahahaha. Its far better than what i had back in 2011. I was managing a team of 37 people with almost 10 Indians and 2 Pakistanis including myself. But it wasn't as bad. Most Indians recognized that they were lucky to win as Pakistan dropped Tendulkar like 4 or 5 times.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:06pm
no matter who wins, the reality of the big picture is both teams are quite weak. Neither has much chance of winning the tournament, India can never win outside india, Pakistan seem too depleted.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:09pm
Both teams will struggle in this World Cup and it would be a miracle if either side reaches the semi finals. It hardly matters who wins this time since they will be thrashed by most test playing teams.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:20pm
All these emotions not good for health, there are much bigger problems in the world right now than a cricket match.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:22pm
May the better team win and let's enjoy the game
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Feb 03, 2015 09:29pm
This India & Pakistan rivalry is petty !! Many in India (including me) also think that winning against Pakistan is everything, but now I do not feel that way. Game against Pak is just another game, we should stop giving so much importance to it, eventually this rivalry will fade away.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:46pm
bravo this means if we beat india it doesnt matter if we lose the world cup what defeatest philosophy the Nation would rather have us win the world cup then defeat india
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Feb 03, 2015 09:50pm
May better team win ..... sportsmanship must prevail
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Feb 03, 2015 09:54pm
The semifinals will be between South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and England.
Chances for other nations are pretty low.
Finals will be between Australia and South Africa.
The winners will be Australia due to the fact that the South Africa will be choked during finals.
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Feb 03, 2015 09:59pm
I will be there experiencing the spectical irrelevant of the victors. Yeayyyyyy
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Feb 03, 2015 10:03pm
May the better team win!
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Feb 03, 2015 10:06pm
It will be miracle for Pakistan to win over India. May be Pakistan can beat Bangladesh. The team is in very poor shape at this stage.
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Feb 03, 2015 10:16pm
In present scenerio concerning selection of Pakistan team, Pakistan vs india is even smaller than UAE vs Ireland. Indian will win even bigger than that of NZ's win yesterday.
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Feb 03, 2015 10:42pm
I dont mind India loosing to Pakistan but winning world cup.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:02pm
This is why we keep losing matches to India. It's a world cup and all other teams (including India) are focussing on winning the cup. Pakistani cricketers are thinking about only this match as if this is the final of world cup.
You agree or not, this India obsession is killing us in every walk of life, not just Cricket.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:09pm
Nobody cares. Both teams are useless.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:16pm
ya, right! 2 flop teams who will not qualify for last 4 !! dont know whats the hype all about!
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Feb 03, 2015 11:25pm
There is nothing wrong with this rivalry. Enjoy it. England and Australia are also rivals. But it's true that even they cannot match the widespread emotions and interest generated by an Indo-Pak match.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:53pm
1.3 billion people are willing to stay glued to the television for 8 hours to watch 22 multi-millionaire men throw and hit ball at each other. But not 10 people are willing to sit and discuss for 10-minutes why one of these player makes more in 1 hour than the highest paid nurse in India and Pakistan makes in 10 year.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:06am
it use to be a big match when Pakistan use to play with cricketers with lots of talent and achievements, although they never have beaten India with the strongest team they had in 99 and 03, but still there was a believe that we can beat India, Now i am afraid to say that there is no spark left nor these guys looks like they really looking for anything in this cup, so i am watching this cup for new Zealand and south Africa who have been the most consistent yet unlucky team in the world cup
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Feb 04, 2015 12:14am
BOTH mediocre teams. At times not even up to the international standard. Maybe just to keep their own crowd interested should only play with each other or their own grounds.
What is the point, neither India nor Pakistan will go pass second round.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:15am
All the HYPE for nothing!!!!
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Feb 04, 2015 01:10am
I agree this match in the larger context will be irrelevant when the final is played.
Pak is so poorly selected and managed, I expect India to rack up or chase down 300 plus against such decimated attack...
Younis is a burden, Misbah thwarts momentum - only Shehzad or
Maqsood could wrestle the team into some life...
Early flight home for Pak!
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Feb 04, 2015 02:13am
I do have a feeling Pakistan will pull a fast one. India does not look at all strong.
in fact, all of the asian teams look weak.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:16am
@Sunil Dhiman How do you know that Sunil? I don't see any strength in this Indian team.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:17am
Against India:
1 Shahzad, 2 Hafeez, 3 Sarfraz, 4 Yonius, 5 Misbah, 6 Sohaib, 7 Afridi, 8 Bhati, 9 Wahab, 10 Sohail, 11 Irfan
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Feb 04, 2015 02:50am
@Tamilselvan
We have to see it as a cricket match. Which ever team performs well should win. Don't attach emotion to sports. Someone else is making money out of our emotions. Let better team win the match & cup. I will be happy if Newzeland wins this time as they have been trying for many years & yet to win a World Cup. No patriotism is attached to sports.
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Feb 04, 2015 03:16am
Its a tragedy of our two countries that a mere cricket match becomes a war for entire nations. I sympathize with the players who have to go through this. Sports is for enjoyment & pleasure and not for one to get depressed after losing.
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Feb 04, 2015 03:54am
Two mediocre teams, at least Pakistan had some fantastic bowlers in the past and the Indians some excellent batsmen, right now it will be struggle to qualify for the semi-final. My support India first and if they fail Pakistan next. Bhaad me jaaye baki sab...
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Feb 04, 2015 05:22am
As a Pakistani team supporter and thanks to yet another blunder by PCB in team selection, this is the 1st time ever in a world cup that I am pretty confident that India will win. It will be no short miracle if Pakistan pulls this through.
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Feb 04, 2015 05:39am
“Fielding in the deep, you often hear the crowd behind warning you 'better win this match or it won't be easy to get out of the stadium'.”
That's a sad comment on the state of fandom in South Asia. Both countries essentially care about one sport and the fans have no lives and so feel the need to threaten players.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:00am
In the current form both teams are equally losers.. So let's say like this "who will be the biggest loser between these two losers" .. Sorry for being harsh but it's true.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:41am
Hopefully trip back home may help Indian players . Pakistan Should select Amir in the squad . Australia,South Africa Newzeland looks very Strong
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Feb 04, 2015 08:57am
It must be really humiliating to know that Pakistan has never repeat NEVER won a world cup against India....This is a mind blowing statistic........
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Feb 04, 2015 09:14am
With present state and available talent in our Pakistan team, unfortunately the writing in on the wall.
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Feb 04, 2015 09:54am
India and Pakistan simply do not have the team capable of lifting the Cup. India possibly has the worst team in decades, Pakistan is marginally better, though chances of both are hopeless. The result of the India/Pakistan match will not have any bearing on the final outcome of the tournament.
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Feb 04, 2015 09:58am
i dont think its big issue in india , now delhi election and kejariwal is boaring us.and no hope with indian team.
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Feb 04, 2015 10:01am
We are going to beat Pakistan on 15th.
If we loose not many people in India are going to watch rest of the fixtures on TV . And for me the World Cup will be over.
So let's win as before and keep the hope of bringing back the Cup.
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Feb 04, 2015 10:19am
Not it is not bigger than the world cup. In our myopic vision maybe.
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Feb 04, 2015 11:02am
India will likely win 6-4 on penalty strokes. get my meaning
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Feb 04, 2015 11:24am
I don't care if India is not winning the cup.I wish south Africa or new Zealand lift the cup this time.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:47pm
Wouldn't it be wonderful if an India-Pakistan joint team take on an Australia-England joint team in a 5 test match series every 4 years or so?!
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Feb 04, 2015 12:48pm
@Abu.Ashhad All the best brother, it is all in the sports unless it turs out to be a tie.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:02pm
It is obvious that the hype has everything to do with politics and little to do with cricket. Why consider this a rivalry? Objectively, India is the much stronger team. Pakistan is not even as strong as it potentially can be. In the past Pakistan has had teams that were strong enough for the 'rivalry' to make genuine sense in terms of cricket. It may happen in the future again. But the current facts are in favor of India. Having high expectations in this match seems pointless. I guess India may loose some sleep over it because they are the stronger team so it would be a total fluke. Unfortunately, if that were to happen, the political culture there will direct much more scorn towards them than they would deserve in cricketing terms (flukes can happen against anyone). Why there is any hype in Pakistan is difficult to understand.
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Feb 04, 2015 03:18pm
@prince This is not a hockey match. Neah! just kidding we know the encounter records.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:52pm
India Pak match always be thrilling.considering both teams present form no one is favourite to win its 50-50 match. i tell all pakistan fans and indian fans please take it as sport. in sport one team has to win and one to loose. aim to win world cup.
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Feb 04, 2015 07:01pm
Forget India. Lets pray that Pakistan do not lose badly against BanglaDesh on 9th February world cup warm up match.
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Feb 05, 2015 03:11am
Needless to say, India is a far better team. Hence they will win. Simple as that. One should leave the Country aside and look at the team and its strength. I will celebrate if Pakistan beats Afghanistan, that's how bad we are right now..
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Feb 05, 2015 03:12am
India will winn
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Feb 05, 2015 04:36pm
although, im a staunch indian supporter and like any supporter want my team to win against the opposition. however, this time i think pakistan has the edge over india. im sure that even bangladesh has a better bowling attack than india at the moment. even my grand mother could score runs of their bowling. so far as batting is concerned, again on paper we are great but our results show the reality.. in australia, i dont know if ppl are aware, india has failed to win a single match since the last two months either in tests or in ODIs. rohit sharma is recovering from injury, virat has had a dip in form, raina is useless against the short ball, dhawan plays one in ten innings.. rahane is the only one who is solid. so seeing the sorry state of affairs, even though im indian, if i were a betting man, my money would be on pakistan despite them never having beaten india in world cup matches.. only thing is that pakistan have an unbelievable ability to self destruct in pressure situations.. if they can handle that then they will win..
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Feb 05, 2015 04:39pm
@rana on current form i have to agree with u..
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Feb 05, 2015 04:39pm
@Datta well said..
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