Kolkata, February 16: Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has stated that it is misleading to exaggerate the significance of matches between India and Pakistan. He believes the Pakistani team is currently very weak compared to India. In recent years, the outcomes of these matches have consistently favored India.
In an exclusive interview, Ganguly remarked, “There is a significant difference between the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams. The Indian team is very strong. In batting, bowling, and fielding, Team India outmatches Pakistan. The team’s discipline is also commendable.”
He added, “The India-Pakistan match is no longer a big event. It is incorrect to portray it as such. In the era of Javed Miandad, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram, and Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistani team was formidable, and matches were competitive. Now, the dynamics have changed. In my view, the major matches today are India-Australia, India-South Africa, and India-England.”
Regarding the possibility of India facing Pakistan again in the T20 World Cup 2026 final, Ganguly expressed skepticism. He stated that while anything is possible in cricket, given Pakistan’s current state, reaching the final seems unlikely.
In the match against Pakistan, Ganguly praised the batting performances of Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dube, as well as the contributions from the bowlers.
In the match itself, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Indian team scored 175 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, thanks to explosive innings from wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, who made 77 runs off 40 balls, along with contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (32), Shivam Dube (27), and Tilak Varma (25). Pakistan was bowled out for 114 runs in 18 overs. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy each took 2 wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma claimed 1 wicket each.
Ishan Kishan was named Player of the Match.
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