Vaibhav Tripathi
Anil Kumble, former Indian leg-spinner and captain, talked about the importance of approaching a cricket match against arch-rival Pakistan with a mindset that treats it like any other game. Kumble believes that not succumbing to the pressure of the rivalry is crucial. He noted that during his playing days, the intense anticipation around matches against Pakistan was such that fans would have accepted a loss against Kenya, but not against Pakistan.
“In our times, the word was ‘lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan’. There was pressure and expectation on the players. That’s how the matches between India and Pakistan are being played and the key is to treat it as just another match,” Kumble said here while speaking during the launch of Pitchside, the memoir written by veteran cricket administrator Amrit Mathur.
On September 2, India is set to reignite their long-standing rivalry against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in a clash for the Asia Cup 2023.