ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Is India in a better position that Pakistan in handling pressure?

India and Pakistan have an almost even number of wins in the knockout matches they have played against each other. Of the 13 knockout matches played between the two, Pakistan has won seven while India, six. Pakistan had a clear lead over India in the 90’s. But the 21st century brought in a change and since the 2007 T20I World Cup, India has lost two knockout matches against Pakistan, in a ICC Champions Trophy tournament at that.

India has an all-win record against Pakistan in ICC Cricket World Cups and ICC World T20s. Currently, in the ICC Champions Trophy tournaments, India and Pakistan’s record stands at an even 2-2, and if India wins on June 18, 2017, it will race ahead of its eternal rival.

However, the deciding factor for both teams will be the ability to handle pressure when the going gets tough.

India has been better exposed to such situations in both home and away matches. And hence it is now the No 2 ODI team although having played lesser matches than Australia and England.  

Although Pakistan has played 40 matches, five more than India, it is languishing at No 7 position. One main reason is that almost all the matches played were away matches.

All-in-all India is in a better position to win a do-or-die match than Pakistan currently. There have been examples in the past where India had to rise to the occasion and deliver when required.

 

ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 quarter-final

Wasim Akram was out with injury but Waqar Younis was going great guns, picking up his 200th wicket. While Navjot Singh Sidhu had scored a brilliant 93 it was Ajay Jadeja who provided the fireworks. He scored a quickfire 45 off 25 balls, something unheard or unseen ack in those days. India posted a then huge total of 287.

Pakistani openers were firing on all cylinders. But then came the legendary Aamir Sohail-Venkatesh Prasad spat. Prasad sent him back to the pavilion and Pakistan crumbled.

 

ICC World T20 2007 final

Team India had gone through an upheaval after crashing out of the World Cup in the group stages. MS Dhoni was made the captain and the team performed exceptionally well, reaching the finals of the first ever T20I World Cup. Gautam Gambhir had given India a great start. But after his dismissal, India lost steam. They posted a total of 157 for 5.

Pakistan’s start wasn’t great and Indians were hopeful of stemming their arch rivals. But captain Misbah-ul-Haq stepped in and it looked like the World Cup would slip right out of India’s hands.

The last over saw Misbah make what is probably the greatest mistake of his life when he attempted a scoop shot off Joginder Sharma’s ball that went straight to Sreesanth’s hand.

And thus India made history by winning the first ever T20I World Cup

 

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi-final

India and Pakistan were at an extremely crucial juncture for both teams. International teams had already stopped touring Pakistan and they had been playing only away matches. A win in this match meant a third World Cup final for India.

The match was made memorable because Pakistan dropped Sachin Tendulkar five times while he went on to score 85 runs. However Indian batsmen were not scoring enough runs to put up a large enough total to defend. It was Suresh Raina’s cameo that helped the Indian cause and they posted a total of 260.

The Indian bowlers too rose to the occasion. Five bowlers were used, each one picked up two wickets as Pakistan was bowled out for 231.

India reached the finals and the rest, as they say, is history.