Pakistan warmed up for his or her blockbuster T20 World Cup conflict in opposition to India with a 32-run win in opposition to the USA on Tuesday, then declared they had been “assured” of taking down their bitter rivals.
The Group A win was a lift for Pakistan earlier than Sunday’s high-octane conflict with the defending champions in Colombo, now again on after the Islamabad authorities referred to as off a boycott 24 hours beforehand.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan, who high scored with 73 within the USA win, stated: “The match is on and we’re in a assured temper.”
Pakistan have a dismal report in opposition to India in ICC tournaments, profitable solely as soon as in eight encounters in T20 World Cups, and have misplaced all eight instances that the edges have met within the 50-over World Cup.
In final yr’s T20 Asia Cup, India beat Pakistan 3 times on their option to lifting the trophy in Dubai.
Spinner Tariq Usman, who took 3 for 27 in opposition to america, stated these stats didn’t trouble him.
“We used to beat India within the Nineties and earlier than so do not depend the current report or solely the ICC occasion report, we used to win in opposition to them regularly,” stated Tariq.
Farhan promised: “This time it will likely be totally different and we’ll give a robust efficiency.
“We misplaced all three matches, together with the ultimate to India within the Asia Cup however they weren’t one-sided.”
Farhan stated two wins out of two within the World Cup, the primary was in opposition to the Netherlands on Saturday, had kick-started Pakistan’s marketing campaign.
Pakistan got here into the match having overwhelmed Australia 3-0 in a house T20 collection, and Farhan stated the temper across the camp was very optimistic.
“Wins at all times offer you confidence, and we’ll take this confidence into Sunday’s recreation, and we guarantee you we will probably be a greater aspect come Sunday,” stated Farhan.
India will face a second Group A match in opposition to Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi earlier than flying to Sri Lanka.
It means a fast turnaround for Sunday’s match, the largest and most profitable conflict in world cricket.
