Dubai, Feb 21: Despite the hype surrounding the marquee Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan here on Sunday, fast bowler Haris Rauf has said that his team will take the game against Rohit Sharma’s side just like any other match, and aim for victory to stay in contention.
Pakistan, after being beaten by New Zealand in the opener at Karachi, need to beat India to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stage of the eight-team tournament.
India will be coming into the high-pressure game on the back of a six-wicket win against Bangladesh where Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten century.
“There is no pressure in the match against India, all the players are relaxed and we will take it just like any other match,” said Rauf.Rauf also insisted that he was “100 percent” match-fit, and had proven this by bowling his quota of 10 overs against New Zealand.“We have beaten India in Dubai twice before, so we know the conditions here very well. Our entire game plan will depend on the conditions and pitch on match day,” he added.
He said the match against New Zealand was history and the players were now focussed on the India match.“Yes, the absence of Saim Ayub and now Fakhar Zaman is a big setback for us in the Champions Trophy. But we still have the players to perform well and take us through in this event,” he added.He said every player realised that in a match against India, it was a big opportunity to become a hero, but that will only be possible if they hold their nerve and do well. As the cricketing world braces for yet another high-voltage India-Pakistan encounter, Haris Rauf’s calm and composed stance reflects Pakistan’s determination to treat the clash as just another game. However, the stakes tell a different story. With their tournament hopes hanging by a thread after the loss to New Zealand. (PTI)
