New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Former skipper Waqar Younis is of the view that the current Pakistan team get intimidated whenever they face arch-rivals India.
Pakistan suffered a 89-run thrashing against India in their World Cup fixture played at the Old Trafford in Manchester. According to Waqar, Sunday’s defeat exposed the “massive difference” between the two sides.
“In the last few years, there’s been a massive difference India and Pakistan – and again it showed at Old Trafford on Sunday,” Younis wrote in a column for the International Cricket Council.
“We had good sides in the 1990s, but now I think this India team intimidates Pakistan. When Pakistan teams head into these games, they are always under pressure and feel like they’re the weaker team,” he added.
The former skipper said Pakistan need to improve their fitness in order to challenge India. “Culture needs to change first, and then the fitness level needs to match the Indian players,” he said.
Sarfaraz Ahmed had too admitted after the drubbing that Pakistan “were a better team than India in the 90’s” and now the tables have turned.
“We are not handling pressure well. The team that handles pressure in these games win. The Pakistan teams of the ’90s, used to enjoy upper hand but now India is better than Pakistan. That’s why they win matches,” he said.
Pakistan have faced India in seven matches in all the World Cup editions and have failed to win even a single one.
The 1992 champions, ninth in the 10-team standings with three points from five matches, have South Africa as their next opponents.