ICC World Cup 2019: Pakistan can beat India through ‘controlled aggression’, believes Wasim Akram

India and Pakistan don’t play bilateral series due to cross-border tensions and therefore, very few matches take place between the Asian powerhouses. After the 2018 Asia Cup in the UAE, the teams are all set to lock horns in the 2019 World Cup. The game is scheduled to be played on June 16 at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester and there is hype and excitement surrounding the marquee clash on Sunday.

As far as head to head records between the teams in the World Cup is concerned, Pakistan is yet to defeat India out of six attempts. Moreover, the Indian team, captained by Virat Kohli, will go into the high-voltage contest on the backs of a couple of resounding victories versus South Africa and Australia in Southampton and London respectively.

Stay graceful and do not take this as a war: Akram

India’s last match against New Zealand at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham got abandoned though. Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram has urged the supporters to enjoy the match, and not take it as a ‘war’. The veteran said that a true cricket fan won’t project the contest as a war.

“This can’t be bigger. India and Pakistan playing at the World Cup with over a billion audience is the biggest thing in cricket, so my message to both sets of fans to enjoy it and stay calm. One team will win, one team will lose, so stay graceful and do not take this as a war. Those who project this match as war are not true cricket fans,” Akram was quoted as saying in The Times of India (TOI).

When it’s about Indo-Pak contest, Akram, who has 916 wickets at the international level, used to feel the heat. Moreover, he reckons that the pressure also enables players to bring forth their A game. “Who can realise the pressure more than me? I used to look forward to a match against India because it brings the best out of the players from both the sides,” he mentioned.

The 53-year-old also feels that Pakistan can get the better of their opponent, but he put forth a condition for the same to happen. “Pakistan can beat India through controlled aggression,” Akram, who was a part of the Pakistan team in 1992, 1999 and 2003 when they lost to India, remarked.