KOLKATA: It’s rather early in the WT20, but the make-or-break stage for India has already arrived. After losing their opener to New Zealand, winning the remaining three is crucial and first up are Pakistan, at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
This is more than a match and in keeping with that, there will be Big B singing the National Anthem, with Sania Mirza’s mother in the stands to watch son-in-law, Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik. Amid all this, there’s apprehension on the nature of the pitch, with rumours doing the rounds that it will assist spin.
That won’t be great news for India, considering it was turn that undid them in the first game. “I don’t think fans watch this as a game of cricket. They want to go one up n each other. So there’s much more to this game than just the game. Of course, we have the wherewithal to bounce back,” said R Ashwin.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said the World Cup record notwithstanding, India are under pressure, for his team has won the first match. “For the first time pressure is more on India, because it’s a big tournament. We’re going to take advantage of it.”