India’s all-rounder and T20I skipper, Hardik Pandya has talked about maintaining composure during high-tension clashes such as India vs Pakistan.
The Men in Blue will face their arch-rivals at Kandy on the 2nd of September.
Meanwhile, Pandya has stated that playing exceptional cricket is the key to winning matches such as these.
That’s why he says that they will make calculated decisions during the game and not succumb to the emotional pressures.
He also feels that the Asia Cup will give them a chance to show their character and determination.
A lot of emotions are attached by fans. For us, it is about playing a good team, playing a match against a very good side who has done very well in the recent past.
Adding further, he says,
Couple of finals they’ve played and the tension between us is always there. So, for me, we try to keep the outside noise outside, and we focus on how we can play good cricket. At the end of the day, we are cricketers.
Pandya says that the team can’t play under the emotional baggage of the game
Commenting further, Pandya says,
We can’t get too emotional about it because then certain decisions can be reckless, which I don’t believe in. But, at the same point of time, it’s a mega event. It’s an event which I’ve seen how it checks your character, checks your personality, and at the same point in time, you can see in how deep waters you can swim. So for me, all these factors excite me a lot and yeah, I can’t wait.
Furthermore, Pandya has also talked about his preparation for the event and how he is adapting himself.
It’s just that you have a little more time than what you think. I believe in T20 as well, you have more time than you think, but at the same time, ODI is a much longer game. It is a game where you have to adapt, you have to get used to the conditions because the game is going on for 50 overs, and to play, to win against a good side, you have to play a good 100 overs of cricket. That’s when you win the game.
Concluding, he says,
So as a cricketer, for me, my mindset only changes for the fact that I start preparing according to how the ODI format demands, and if the preparation is proper, then I just go out there and read the situation. Because half of the time the situation dictates itself, so you don’t have to use rocket science, you’ve to just watch the game, see, try to understand what’s happening and maybe take a smarter call.
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