Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has said that India will go into the Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan as favourites but wouldn’t be surprised if the Men In Green get win on Sunday, February 23. India and Pakistan enter the clash in contrasting form as Rohit Sharma and his men are on a 4-game winning streak. Pakistan, on the other hand, come into the match after a big loss to New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand.
India defeated Bangladesh by 6 wickets to start their campaign with a bang as Shubman Gill scored a hundred and Mohammed Shami took a 5-wicket haul. Speaking on the sidelines of the Laureus Sport for Good Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum, Waugh claimed that the India vs Pakistan game is more than a cricket match and a huge event. The former Aussie skipper said that the game has been unpredictable in the past and both teams have a lot of talent in their ranks.
“It’s more than a cricket match. It’s a huge event. Every time India and Pakistan compete, it’s a worldwide event and very unpredictable. Both sides have got lots of talent, and you never really know what the outcome is going to be. I think India generally are the favourites. But one-day cricket, T20 cricket—it’s a lot more unpredictable than Test cricket. One person can have a great game and influence the match for their team,” Waugh said.
Pakistan has had a rollercoaster few months when it comes to the ODI format. They won series in Australia and South Africa and then lost tri-series at home. Waugh said it would be interesting to see which Pakistan team will turn up for the contest on Sunday.
“Shubman Gill just got a hundred, he’s a very good player. Obviously, there’s Kohli. You’ve got these big names. Pakistan have been hot and cold over the last 12 months. They’re capable of doing really good things, so you’re not sure which Pakistan side is going to turn up. India are favourites, but it wouldn’t surprise me either if Pakistan won that game,” Waugh added.
India and Pakistan have faced each other 5 times in the Champions Trophy, and it is the Men In Green who lead 3-2 in the head-to-head stats.
