- Sunday, February 23, 2025
All eyes will be on ace batter Virat Kohli, who could score only one run against Ireland while opening with the captain, but is known for his exploits on big stages.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA captain Rohit Sharma said on the eve of his team’s crucial match against Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2024 in New York on Sunday (9) that they would not be putting pressure on any one player and particularly praised batter Virat Kohli, saying nothing could beat the experience that the latter has.
The opening batter, who retired hurt in India’s first match against Ireland in Nassau County International Cricket Ground on June 5 after an odd-bounce delivery hit him on his right bicep, said at a press conference on Saturday (8) that he is expecting all his players to make a contribution in Sunday’s game as Men in Blue look to build up on the winning start.
All eyes will be on Kohli, the ace India batter who had a quiet start to the tournament with a two-ball one against Ireland while opening the batting with Sharma. The 35-year-old just ended the Indian Premier League with the most number of runs and is known to deliver on big platforms. He had played a match-winning knock against the arch-rivals in Melbourne in Australia in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, hitting two back to back sixes against pacer Haris Rauf.
Read: India aim to exploit Pakistan’s woes on tricky New York wicket
Kohli so far has a low-profile presence in the US where India are playing their games. He did not play the warm-up match against Bangladesh.
Read: Odd delivery hitting Rohit Sharma in T20 World Cup puts New York pitch under lens
“I don’t want to rely on one or two individuals to win us the game,” Sharma said, according to a news report published on the Indian Cricket Council’s site.
“I think all 11 of us need to contribute. Of course, there are key players who are going to play key roles for us but I think everyone needs to chip in whatever they can, however they can in their best possible way.
“[Virat] didn’t play the Bangladesh [warm-up] game but he’s had enough training under his belt before this game…the kind of experience that he has, playing all over the world, playing in big tournaments, nothing can beat that.”
Sharma also said that his players have the knowledge and experience to judge the conditions they are faced with and deliver accordingly.
“I expect everyone to make good decisions – at least, try and make good decisions. As long as you think and make decisions based on what you see in front of you, you’re giving yourself the best chance of having success.”
Pakistan, who are expected to bring spinner all-rounder Imad Wasim into their playing XI, will have to win the game if they hope to advance further in the tournament. Having lost to the United States in the Super Over in the first match, Babar Azam’s men are under immense pressure to turn the tables around fast.
