T20 World Cup 2022: "Pakistan is a good team but the focus solely remains on our performance" - Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal has asserted that India's focus remains on their own performances ahead of the high-voltage T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan. Chahal conceded that India will consider the game against their arch-rivals as just another fixture with no added pressure.
Clubbed together in Group 2, India and Pakistan will lock horns on October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). While India have a superior record against Pakistan in World Cups, they will want to avenge the 10-wicket loss suffered in last year's edition in the UAE.
Speaking to Dainik Jagran, Haryana-born leg-spinner Chahal reflected that since India have played against Pakistan a fair bit recently, they are not much worried.
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The 32-year-old also played down the hype created over the fixture on social media, saying:
"Pakistan is a good team but the focus solely remains on our performance. The most important thing is how you perform on the match day, everything depends on that. When you've already played against a particular opponent, you don't worry much when you face them again.
"However, there is lot of hype generated by media and internet ahead of the clash against Pakistan. But for us cricketers this is just like another match and if we think too much pressure certainly builds. I'm quite active on internet but I don't allow myself to get bothered on what is being written out there."
India suffered a defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the last meeting between the two teams at the 2022 Asia Cup. Babar Azam and Co. beat their arch-rivals by five wickets.
Yuzvendra Chahal missed the T20 World Cup 2021
The leggie faced a shock exclusion from India's 2021 T20 World Cup squad as the selectors opted for the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravindra Jadeja as frontline spinners.
Chahal will hence be keen to prove his worth as India's main spinner in the upcoming edition of the ICC event.
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The Men in Blue have been in good form lately, registering bilateral series wins over England, West Indies, Australia, and South Africa.
India also emerged victorious in their first practice match Down Under against Western Australia XI. Skipper Rohit Sharma will be keen to lead India to their second T20 World Cup crown.