Rohit Sharma says no room for complacency against wounded Pakistan

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 8, 2024 22:08 IST

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has warned his team against complacency as they prepare to face a wounded Pakistan in their second match of the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York on June 9. Despite Pakistan's Super Over loss to the USA on June 6 in Dallas, Rohit believes the Babar Azam-led side are capable of staging a strong comeback. India will take on Pakistan in a marquee clash in New York on Sunday, marking their eighth encounter in the history of the competition. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the high-stakes match, Rohit highlighted Pakistan's resilience in previous tournaments.

"Playing good cricket holds the key. We have spoken about the conditions here. And have plans in place. We will try to give our best. There is lot of experience in our changing room. Making the right decision will be key," Rohit Sharma said in the pre-match press conference.

"This is the special nature of T20 cricket – anything can happen. Even in the last T20 World Cup, Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe, but it was eventually Pakistan in the final as well. If the opposition lost the last match, that doesn't mean they will lose again or play badly. They will surely have analysed their mistakes," Rohit added when he was asked about Pakistan's inconsistency.

India's team has been in New York for just under a week, having already played two matches at Nassau International County Cricket Stadium - a warm-up and their opening game against Ireland, which they won. Rohit believes that the conditions will be the same for both teams and that adaptability will be key.

"In New York, the conditions and opportunities will be the same for both teams. We have been here for just six or seven days; this is not our home ground," he said. "The team that plays well will win; it doesn't matter who arrived in New York first. We don’t know what the wicket will be like."

Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, is eager to recover from their demoralizing Super Over loss to the United States. Despite the setback, Rohit remains cautious about underestimating his rivals. India and Pakistan have a storied rivalry in T20 World Cups, with India winning five of their seven encounters. Pakistan's only win came in 2021 when they defeated a Virat Kohli-led Indian team. The remaining match ended in a tie, which India won via bowl out.