In just three days' time, one of the biggest rivalries in professional sports is set to reignite with over a billion people hooked to television sets while being tucked in their comfortable couches. In the Super-12 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup, the inaugural champions India will cross swords against arch-rivals Pakistan, who clinched the glittering silverware in 2009 and the excitement for the high-voltage contest is escalating at a rapid pace.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to lock horns in a blockbuster contest on October 23 (Sunday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Both teams are expected to land heavy punches to secure an all-important win to start their campaign in tremendous fashion.
Ahead of the high-voltage fixture, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has competed in an India-Pakistan match, reflected on what it's like to play the Men in Green.
"It’s always special playing against Pakistan because there is a special hype around that match as always. There are so much emotions involved, not only for us, but the fans and everyone," Pant was quoted as saying on the T20 World Cup site.
"It’s a different kind of feeling, a different kind of ambience when you go on to the field and when you take on the field, you see people cheering here and there.
"It’s a different atmosphere and when we were singing our national anthem, I actually get goosebumps," he added.
The swashbuckling left-handed batter played against Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup, a game which the Men in Blue ended up losing in an embarrassing fashion. Pant scored 39 runs off 30 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes and he still has fond memories of that game.
"I fondly remember that I smacked Hasan Ali for two sixes in the same over," the wicketkeeper-batter reflected.
"We were just trying to get the run rate up because we lost early wickets and we staged a partnership – me and Virat.
"We were increasing the run rate and I smacked him for two sixes with one hand... my special shot," he added.
On October 23, India and Pakistan will square off against each other for the fourth time in a span of a year. Pakistan trounced India by 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup match last year in UAE while both teams registered a win against each other in the Asia Cup 2022. The Men in Blue will be desperate to exact revenge after suffering an awful defeat against the Men in Green last year and also for their loss in Asia Cup this year.
