World Twenty20: It’s India v Pakistan tonight

India face must-win situation; Pakistan confident and raring to go, says Hafeez.

COLOMBO:

Pakistan will look to extend their dominant form and put India on the brink of elimination when the old foes clash in the World Twenty20 Super Eights match today.

Pakistan have never beaten India in either the 50-over World Cup or the World Twenty20, but Mohammad Hafeez’s men start as favourites in the much-awaited Super Eights game in Colombo. Pakistan are the team in form, winning both matches in the preliminary league before stunning top-ranked South Africa by two wickets in their first Super Eights game on Friday.

In contrast, Australia annihilated India by nine wickets later the same evening, leaving MS Dhoni’s men needing to beat Pakistan and South Africa to stay in contention for the semi-finals. But if Australia beat South Africa and Pakistan defeat India in Sunday’s double-header, both winners will advance to the semi-finals from what was billed as the ‘group of death’.

Hafeez said that his team is confident of getting a positive result against India.

“Everyone is looking forward to the India match,” said Hafeez. “Since we have won against them in the warm-up game, it will give us confidence going into the match. That victory has been a real morale booster for us and the boys are upbeat and raring to go against India.”

Pakistan seamer Umar Gul, an unlikely hero with the bat against South Africa with a power-packed 32 off 17 balls, acknowledged that there will be pressure on both sides.

“When we play India, there is lot of pressure because our people always want us to win,” said Gul. “The same is the case in India, so there will be pressure on both teams. Anything can happen. We will give it our best shot. India is a very good team, but we know each other’s strong and weak points. In T20, it depends on how a team plays on that day.”

India has never won a Super Eights match

India, winners of the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007, failed to win even one Super Eights game in the next two editions, in England in 2009 and the Caribbean in 2010. Skipper Dhoni, however, put a positive spin on his team’s do-or-die scenario ahead of the sold-out game at the 35,000-capacity Premadasa Stadium.

“It is always good to be in a situation where you have to win every game,” said Dhoni. “There is no scope for complacency and that is a good thing. You have to be at your best throughout. Hopefully we can go out and express ourselves without worrying too much about the result.”

M Hafeez

“Everyone is looking forward to the match. That victory in the warm-up game has been a morale booster, and we are upbeat and raring to go against India.”

MS Dhoni

“There is no scope for complacency and that’s a good thing. You’ve to be at your best throughout. Hopefully we can express ourselves without worrying about the result.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2012.