Both India and Pakistan had to toil hard to overpower one another in their two meetings in this year’s Asia Cup. Both contests went almost the distance with India winning the groupphase game and Pakistan avenging that defeat in the Super Four stage.

Come Sunday at the MCG in Melbourne, it will only be another mind game between Rohit Sharma’s troops and that of Babar Azam in their T20 World Cup opener, feels former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.

“Pakistan had beaten India for the first time in World Cups last year in the UAE when they swept the game by 10 wickets. But those were different conditions. Thereafter, we saw how the two sides fared against each other in the Asia Cup.

“So again, it will boil down to which team handles pressure better and is able to hold their nerves in tight situations. That is what India-Pakistan clashes are all about. It all depends on how you perform on the given day,” Mahmood, who made 21 Test and 143 ODI appearances and is also a former Pakistan bowling coach, told The Telegraph from London.

“But yes, (Jasprit) Bumrah’s absence could well be a factor,” he added.

A “fully fit” Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to be back with the new ball for Pakistan in this World Cup. The two deadly deliveries from the left-arm quick to knock over Rohit and KL Rahul early on, which have now become a part of Pakistan’s cricketing folklore, were one of the major causes of India’s humiliating defeat in the 2021 Cup to their arch-rivals.

“The Pakistani quicks should again try and bring the ball back into Rohit, making use of the conditions in Melbourne. And to get Virat Kohli out, they should look to move the ball away from him,” Mahmood pointed out.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood. File picture

“We all know how magnificent Rohit and Kohli are as batsmen, while other Indian batters too are doing quite well. But no matter what, the approach of Pakistan’s bowlers should be to get them out. That’s the best way to neutralise them,” Mahmood emphasised.

Pandya presence

Mahmood minced no words to acknowledge Pakistan’s need for a seamer all-rounder like Hardik Pandya, who can certainly make a difference in the game. “I wouldn’t say that India are ahead of Pakistan in terms of all-rounders. Pakistan ke paas bhi all-rounders hain, jaise Shadab Khan aur Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan too have all-rounders, like Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz). Both of them are quite capable with the bat, but they are spinners.

“So yes, when it comes to a seamer all-rounder, having someone like Pandya is indeed a big advantage for India. He can bat well, bowl well and is also a good fielder. He’s three in one. And the progress he has made over the last few months does make him one of the best all-rounders in the world today.

“It surely would’ve been good for Pakistan if they had a seamer all-rounder like Pandya,” Mahmood said.

Is Pandya as good as England’s talismanic Ben Stokes? Mahmood replied: “If you consider Test cricket and ODIs till the time Stokes played the 50-overs format, he’ll be the one ahead.

“But if you take just T20s, I think Pandya has an edge (over Stokes). One can gauge that through his performances.”