Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden admitted hostile cricket rivalrybetween India and Pakistan is unmatched and will test the two teams whenthey play a high voltage game in the Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Hayden is serving a short stint as Pakistan’s batting consultant andtransferring his vast experience on how to tackle pressure in as intense arivalry as the Ashes between Australia and England.
“For Australia, England is their old guard as they would say, as at variousstages we have been ruled by the Kingdom of the UK and cricket wouldn’t beon our shores if it hadn’t been the case,” Hayden told a virtual mediaconference.
“But nothing also, that I have ever seen throughout various elements of thegame that I have been part of, ever matches the rivalry between India andPakistan.”
The 49-year-old left-hander played 103 Tests for Australia, 20 of them inthe Ashes, scoring 1461 runs.
Hayden accepts there is enormous pressure of an India-Pakistan match, oftenresulting in bitter public reaction for the losing side.
“There is an obvious pressure of an Indo-Pak match, as there is obviouspressure if you play against England if you are an Australian, but thepressure is only what you allow it to be.
“It’s a history-making opportunity. We can present all the stats, homeworkand research and nothing can replace what will be the state, what we dreamabout, write about and coach about, which will be the event itself.”
After the eight-team qualifying rounds, the Super 12 stage starts fromSaturday.
Hayden, who joined the Pakistan team last week, said players were in a goodplace.
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“The mood is high, the relationships within the team are very strong andthe players seem very happy and relaxed in spite of the obvious pressurestarting from our first match.”
Hayden, part of the commentary team during the Indian Premier League whichfinished last week in the United Arab Emirates, singled out KL Rahul andRishab Pant as the men that Pakistan need to be watch.
“I sense that KL Rahul is a major threat to Pakistan. His dominance in theshorter format is good. Someone like Rishab Pant, with a cheeky smile andhis brash nature and beautiful vision for the game, is a destroyer.”
Hayden believes Pakistan skipper Babar Azam will be under extra pressure.
“Babar is our premier player and will be targeted and as Chris Gayle (WestIndian great) says ‘everyone wants to put him in his pocket’.
“There is going to be additional pressure on Babar as captain and asbatsman.
“It’s a real dog fight and the conditions and margin of error are verylittle and so good leadership is going to be the key and Babar commandsthat role and he needs to fulfill that role.” – APP/AFP
