Wassan Hopes for a Competitive India-Pakistan Clash in Champions Trophy
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has expressed his desire for Pakistan to win against India, emphasizing that it would bring more excitement to the ongoing Champions Trophy. Wassan feels that recent matches between the two teams have lacked competitiveness, with India coming across as the stronger side. He likened the one-sided clashes to watching a legendary actor like Amitabh Bachchan effortlessly defeat his opponents, saying it diminishes the thrill of the game.
India and Pakistan are gearing up for a much-anticipated Group A match in Dubai this Sunday. India enters the showdown on a high, having secured a comfortable six-wicket victory over Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Pakistan faced a disappointing defeat against New Zealand in their tournament opener, where they fell short by 60 runs while chasing a target of 321.
Wassan mentioned, "I want Pakistan to win because it would make the tournament more interesting. A strong performance from Pakistan could lead to a real contest.” He noted that the excitement in their rivalry has decreased lately, citing the need for Pakistan to improve its game.
Reflecting on the past, Wassan recalled the days when Pakistan boasted exceptional players like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. "Back in my playing days, we often lost to them. But circumstances have affected their cricket and India has only grown stronger since then,” he added.
Despite India’s dominance in recent ICC tournaments, where they have won the last two matches against Pakistan, the latter can take heart from their favorable record in the Champions Trophy. Historically, Pakistan has triumphed in three out of their five meetings in this tournament, including their famous win in the 2017 final by a large margin.
Wassan pointed out that Pakistan didn’t seem well-prepared in their first game and will feel the pressure during this crucial match. Their bowling attack has faced heavy criticism for their performance against New Zealand, where key bowlers struggled to contain runs and make an impact.
Highlighting their challenges, Wassan mentioned that Pakistan will miss explosive opener Fakhar Zaman due to injury, limiting their options as they prepare to face a formidable Indian side. With Saim Ayub also unavailable, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq are likely to open the batting for Pakistan.
In addition, Pakistan’s squad features only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, which could be a setback if the pitch in Dubai proves to be slow like it was during India’s recent victory.
As the much-anticipated clash approaches, all eyes will be on both teams to see how they rise to the challenge and whether Pakistan can stage a comeback in this iconic rivalry.
