India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav has poured cold water on the notion of an India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, declaring that the imbalance in results no longer justifies the hype. His remarks came after India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four clash on Sunday, their second victory over the Men in Green within a week.
The Pakistan-India rivalry has historically produced some of the most thrilling cricketing contests. However, India’s recent dominance has prompted their T20I captain to emphasize that the two teams are no longer evenly matched.
“You guys should stop asking questions about the rivalry between India and Pakistan,” Suryakumar told reporters after the match. “According to me, if two teams play 15–20 matches and the results are even, then it’s a rivalry. 13-0, 10-1 — I don’t know what the stat is, but this is not a rivalry anymore.”
Statistically, the Indian captain’s views hold weight. In 15 T20I matches, India has won 12, while Pakistan has managed just three victories. This includes a four-match winning streak for India, with two of those wins coming in this Asia Cup.
This sentiment is gaining traction among former and current Indian cricketers, many of whom believe that the widening gulf between the two sides no longer warrants the historic hype.
Despite the one-sided nature of their Asia Cup encounters, Pakistan and India could still meet again in the final. Whether Suryakumar believes Pakistan can pose a challenge or not, the possibility of a third clash, with the trophy on the line, is sure to ignite hope among fans for a miraculous turnaround.
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