Pakistan ‘completely calm’ ahead of India clash

Today’s match comes with a special significance, as on the political frontier, India and Pakistan are facing their worst ever diplomatic friction.

“The team is focused on the Champions Trophy and I honestly don’t even know”. “Everyone knows what kind of attention a match between the two teams always gets, especially in an ICC tournament“. But it is not a phrase that might have been expected from Misbah-ul-Haq, and with a couple of new faces in the team – faces that India will not have seen – it may be that they have some element of surprise on their side. But then India’s bowling is a tad stronger, and that balances the equation. Kohli’s credentials as a top-order batsman are known to all and he has played some memorable innings in the ODI format.

“We are very hopeful of playing well in this tournament and we want to win it”.

There are others who have been very good friends to me. That will also increase the depth in batting and pave the way for both Ashwin and Jadeja to play.

File image of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Fans, however, would not be able to enjoy a small yet intriguing battle between Virat Kohli and Junaid Khan as the left-arm pacer has not been included in the 12-men Pakistan squad for the high-octane clash.

Heaping praise on the Indian players, Fleming said: “I watched these players recently in the Indian Premier League”. All the expectation, all the pressure, all the consequences are weighing down India.

Former Australia fast bowler Craig McDermott has applied for the post of India head coach, which will become vacant after the ongoing Champions Trophy campaign.

The legendary Indian leg-spinner, who has not put a foot wrong since being appointed as the coach, will see out his contract at the end of the eight-team tournament. A fired up Prasad clean bowled the Pakistan opener next ball and gave him a send off.

Pakistan just made it to the Champions Trophy as the eighth and final nation ahead of the West Indies, who missed the bus. In addition to the fine length, he also generates good pace.

“I am hugely impressed by the skillset and temperament of young Jasprit Bumrah“, he added.

In the aftermath of a terrorist incident in Central London Saturday night, where six people lost their lives and three attackers shot dead by police, security has been beefed up for the Champions Trophy match featuring India and Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday.

An article on the ICC website by former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, in which he mentioned how he, in his eagerness to welcome the Indian cricketers in Karachi, forgot that a lot of them were vegetarians, reminded me of a similar experience I had with an Indian journalist. May the best team win this high-voltage encounter.