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Former India cricketer Madan Lal feels that even though the Men in Blue can be called the 'favourites' heading into the clash against Pakistan, the match between the two teams will not be easy to predict. He said so because T20I is a format that is quite unpredictable.
The two teams have so far faced each other thrice when it comes to the Asia Cup T20. The Men in Blue have a slender lead over their arch-rivals when it comes to the head-to-head record with them having won twice and the Men in Green winning the remaining encounter.
"The competition will be there because T20I is a shorter format. If it were a Test or an ODI, you could say India are the favourites. It is not easy to predict in T20Is, as in a matter of a few overs, the game changes. It will be a great contest. Pakistan has changed its planning; its top-order is trying to hit, play attacking cricket, and hit unorthodox shots. The question is, will they play these shots against India?" Madan told ANI.
Many want the match to be boycotted
There have been a lot of discussions coming into the match between India and Pakistan and there have even been calls to boycott the game. This is due to the fact that political relations between the two countries deteriorated to a new low earlier this year. It all started with the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April which saw 26 innocent Indian people lose their lives. India launched Operation Sindoor as a retaliation and dismantles terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. Many are against the idea of both the teams playing a cricket match against each other despite the tragic events unfolding just months before.
However, Lal feels that the match should go ahead as a lot of people's livelihoods are dependant on it. He further remarked that even though he can understand the sentiments of the nation, there is no reason to avoid playing the match.
"The government has given permission, so what is the problem? We had made the decision not to go to Pakistan. It is upto Pakistan to decide if they want to play or not. Definitely, the Pahalgam attack hurt us; we are patriotic. It is time to give them a "double jawaab". Pakistan is unlikely to change; it will remain the same. However, you cannot avoid this (the match), as there are many people whose livelihood depends on it, from telecasters to those at the top. But our sentiment is with the nation, of patriotism. But it is upto us how we reply to Pakistan. Where does BCCI stand?" Madan stated.
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