New York: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has called the upcoming India-Pakistan clash in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup as cricket’s version of the ‘Super Bowl’.
India will take on Pakistan in a highly anticipated Group A clash of the tournament at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 9.
“For those Americans discovering the tournament, they should know that Pakistan’s game against India is like our Super Bowl. I used to absolutely love playing India and I really believe it is the biggest rivalry in sport.”
“When I played in those games, I got a lot of love and respect from the Indian fans, and it means so much to both sides. Against India, it is about handling the pressure of the occasion. There is so much talent in both teams, they just need to put it together on the day,” wrote Afridi in his column for the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The spin all-rounder also said it’s hard to predict a side favourite to win the ongoing T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. “That will be the case in that game and the tournament overall. The team that can hold its nerve will come out on top.”
“T20 cricket is so unpredictable, and teams can bat so deep now. You can have a batter coming in at No.8 and smashing the ball at a strike rate of 150 to win a game. I hope that it will be Pakistan this time around, but it is hard to pick a favourite.”
Afridi also thinks Pakistan, the 2009 T20 World Cup winners, have the capabilities to challenge any team on a given day in the tournament. “Even though their form has been inconsistent in 2024, I believe they have all the ingredients to put it all together in the West Indies and USA.”
Afridi further wishes to see the local American population warm up and embrace cricket in its way of living a sporting life, apart from seeing a global event be back in the Caribbean.
