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'DADA ji trying to play mind games': Ex-Pakistan star 'shocked' at GanguIy's 'IND-PAK matches are one-sided' remark
The former Pakistan batter laid down some hard-hitting facts about the recent India vs Pakistan ties to counter Sourav Ganguly.
With more than three months to go, hotels in Ahmedabad are nearly sold out and flight tickets continue to reach sky-high. Such is the atmosphere surrounding an India vs Pakistan World Cup match. The blockbuster fixture which will be held on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be the biggest crowd-puller of the tournament also because it's the first time since 2013 that Pakistan will be playing an international match in India. A decade-long absence that has been marred by several factors will finally end as the two nations promise to come unglued.
Given the nature of India vs Pakistan clashes in the last few years, the stakes are no-matter high. Three of the last four matches between the two teams have gone down to the last over, culminating in thrilling finishes; however, Sourav Ganguly feels the sheen has been taken off India-Pakistan matches given India's 'one-sided' wins lately. Ganguly's controversial assessment has irked fans, mostly across the border as Pakistan have challenged India fiercely going back to the 2021 T20 World Cup, where they registered a 10-wicket win. Ganguly said: "There is a lot of hype in this match but the quality has not been that good for a long time because India kept on winning one-sided. Pakistan probably defeated India for the first time in the T20 World Cup in Dubai."
Reacting to Ganguly's claims, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali is 'shocked'. Although he had nothing but praise for Ganguly and his contribution towards Indian cricket as both player and an administrator, Basit laid down some hard-hitting facts to give the former India captain a reality check. "I read Sourav Ganguly's statement and was quite shocked. Ganguly, the ex-BCCI president has played top-class cricket and was a fabulous captain who developed a lot of players," he said on his YouTube channel.
"I don't agree with him saying that India vs Pakistan matches are one-sided in favour of India. No doubt you have beaten us a lot in ICC World Cups before but that hasn't been the case since 2017. We beat India at the T20 World Cup in UAE and last year in the Asia Cup, won one, lost one. Yes, India defeated Pakistan at the T20 World Cup in Australia but that was purely because of Virat Kohli. He won it single-handedly. Clearly the best-ever T20 innings."
And rightly so. For the most part of the last decade, India had the upper hand over Pakistan, defeating them in the 2014 T20 World Cup, 2015 World Cup, World T20, and the league stage of 2017 Champions Trophy before the Men in Blue were handed a hammering in the final six years ago in England. India then roared back with comprehensive wins in the 2019 Asia Cup and the 2019 World Cup in a rain-marred encounter. However, under Babar Azam, Pakistan has appeared a completely different side and has given India a run for their money.
'Are streets in India empty when playing against Australia?': Basit questions Ganguly
Basit also disagreed with another theory of Ganguly's, one where he reckons that the match against Australia – India's tournament opener – is a far-better game in terms of quality. In Ganguly's words, 'India vs Australia tends to be a better game in the World Cup because the quality is better'. And one can even vouch for it. But while India vs Australia has been a huge rivalry, Basit believes there is a reason why India vs Pakistan is called the mother of all battles while playing down Ganguly's attempt of getting under Pakistan's skin.
"He also said that India vs Australia is a bigger crowd puller than India vs Pakistan. To that, I would just want to say that 'Brother, when India plays Australia, are roads in your country empty? No. They are empty whenever there's an India-Pakistan match - both in India and in Pakistan. Everyone is glued to their TV screen and are praying. Look at the ticket prices for the World Cup; India-Australia costs are nowhere close to India-Pakistan's. So I feel that Ganguly - DADA ji - is just trying to play mind games," added Basit.
