Published: Mar 24, 2014, 02:41 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 24, 2014, 02:41 PM (IST)
An India versus Pakistan clash always promises to be a high-voltage affair with the World Cup matches between the two arch-rivals promising to be even more dramatic as is evident by the intensity that precedes each tie. With India having recently improved their record to 9-0 against Pakistan in World Cup matches thanks to a 7-wicket win in the ICC World T20 2014 encounter in Dhaka, Vineet Varma takes a look at what has been ailing the ‘Men in Green’ and what they can do in order to end their mental block against the Indians in high-profile fixtures.
Outplayed can be the word used for Pakistan as they were all but comprehensively beaten by Mahendra Singh Dhoni‘s side in their opening tie of the ICC World T20 2014 and thus allowed their World Cup hoodoo against the Indians to continue. Instead of their losing streak, it will be the manner of defeat that will be hurting Pakistan the most as they whimpered down without a semblance of fight and could only manage a mere 130 runs in their innings.
Though the Indians managed to hunt down the total without any hitch in their batting order, still Pakistani players and fans may be wondering as to what has caused them to lose all of their World Cup encounters against the Indians over the years and what needs to be done in order to overturn that ignominious statistic. It all started way back in the 1992 World Cup played in Australia and New Zealand where the Indians started off with maintaining their vice like grip over the Pakistanis over the years as they earned a 44-run win in the match at Sydney and thus started the trend of domination over their rivals in the matches to come by.
Many more contests followed and surprisingly it was always India who seemed to hold their nerve in World Cup encounters as they earned one victory after another in high-profile World Cup clashes which has now left the Pakistanis scratching their heads as to what needs to be done so as to break the dubious record. The fact is that records (and jinxes for that matter) are meant to be broken in sports some time or the other and only time will tell as to whether the Pakistanis will do it against India in the ongoing World Twenty20 or maybe even the ICC World Cup 2015 to be held in Australia and New Zealand.
Coming to the crux of the matter and the opinion of this writer is that it has been a mental thing (or ‘block’ as you may call it) for Pakistan starting off with the 1992 game and if they ever are to break this “distinction” of losing World Cup games against India, then the psychological barrier needs to be breached first. Why this was the very same Pakistani team which had so sensationally triumphed over India in the just concluded Asia Cup 2014 thanks to a thrilling last-over cameo by Shahid Afridi with the bat which allowed them to edge past Virat Kohli‘s side with two balls to spare.
And speaking of matches in the past, apart from Pakistan’s poor World Cup record against India, the side has won the tournament on two occasions (1992 World Cup and 2009 World T20) which is only proof that the team has it in them to deliver in the crunch games. So the fact is that it is no coincidence Pakistan have lost nine cup games against the men in blue and it can be clearly stated that all of it lies in the mind, where games are won and lost prior to the start of a World Cup campaign.
So as this piece ends, the writer has no doubt left in his mind that India’s jinx over the Pakistanis will continue in the future cup matches to come unless and until the latter do shrug off the mental barrier and earn that one breakthrough win which may turn the tide in their favour. Until then, it is countdown time for the next possible India-Pakistan clash to be held in the ICC World Cup 2015!
ICC World T20 2014 Points Table and Team Standings
ICC World T20 2014 Schedule details
(Vineet Varma is a writer at Cricket Country. He can be followed @Vinfire19)
