Match Preview: History favours India in opener against arch-rival Pakistan
Plagued by injuries and inconsistent performances, a jittery India will begin their title defence, taking inspiration from history when they lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in what promises to be a high voltage opening round clash of the ICC Cricket World Cup, in Adelaide on Sunday.
Plagued by injuries and inconsistent performances, a jittery India will begin their title defence, taking inspiration from history when they lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in what promises to be a high voltage opening round clash of the ICC Cricket World Cup, in Adelaide on Sunday.
India have an overwhelming 5-0 record in the 50-over World Cup since the two teams were first pitted against each other at the ICC event in the 1992 edition in Sydney. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys would like to retain their supremacy on a 'Super Sunday'.
It's a match that ICC expects to be a full-house affair, considering that close to 20,000 Indians have already descended in Adelaide, especially for this match. It's a match which both teams as usual would be desperate to win in order to start the mega event on the right note.
A defeat at the onset and that too against Pakistan is something Dhoni can ill-afford after his team's shoddy performance throughout the Australian summer. Inconsistencies and lack of runs from his deputy and batting mainstay Virat Kohli, a bowling attack that couldn't even get 10 Afghanistan wickets in a practice match and fitness issues of some key players would certainly be reasons for worry as far as Dhoni is concerned.
While Dhoni's calm exterior would give away very little about what he feels, a Pakistan match has always brought the best out of India even when they have been in the dumps. For the record, the 1992 edition in Australia, the 1999 edition England were two occasions when Indians played poor cricket for the better part but found their mojo against the arch-rivals, defeating them convincingly.
Therefore, an India team battered and bruised by the Aussies is not a parameter to judge how they would fare against Pakistan in a World Cup match. Whether it's Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja or a Venkatesh Prasad, India have somehow always found that one individual, who has risen to the occasions despite the chips being down.
A Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane or even skipper Dhoni himself is capable of changing the complexion of a match in individual capacity.
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