Rohit Sharma Unveils Inside Story of India-Pakistan T20 Thriller: Security Threats and Pant's Heroics

NEW DELHI: The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is legendary, creating an atmosphere of unparalleled intensity for both fans and players. Indian captain Rohit Sharma, a veteran of numerous high-stakes encounters, has shared insights into the unique environment surrounding these games.

Image: Rohit Sharma alongside Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli.

Reflecting on the recent T20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma described the pre-match atmosphere as a full-blown festival, starting at the team hotel and extending all the way to the stadium. India ultimately secured a narrow victory by six runs in a low-scoring thriller, with Jasprit Bumrah earning the Player of the Match award for his impressive figures of 3-14.

"Leading up to the India vs. Pakistan match, we received information about a potential threat, so for two days before the game, we weren't allowed to leave the hotel. The atmosphere began to build from that point," Rohit explained. "We were ordering food in, and the hotel was incredibly crowded. Fans, media – everyone was there. That's when you realize this is more than just another match; it's something truly special."

As the team approached the stadium, the atmosphere intensified. "It felt like a celebration. Indian fans, Pakistani fans – everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves. I've played countless India-Pakistan games, and that pre-match energy is simply unmatched," Rohit shared on JioHotstar’s 'Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se'.

During the match, India faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Virat Kohli (4), Rohit (13), and Axar Patel (20). However, Rishabh Pant played a crucial innings, scoring 42 off 31 balls, including six fours, guiding the team to a respectable total of 119. No other middle-order batter managed to reach double figures.

Rohit Sharma praised Rishabh Pant's performance, acknowledging his potential and vital contribution on a challenging pitch. "We wanted Rishabh to play his natural game, disrupt the bowlers, and play freely. He did that perfectly. His innings of around 42 was equivalent to a score of 70 on that surface. It was a very difficult pitch where something was always happening."

Rohit elaborated on the team's strategy, "The par score was probably 130 or 140. We ended up with 119. Our plan wasn’t to go for 200 – we were aiming for 140. But of course, we lost wickets along the way. And that’s when Rishabh played that crucial knock of 40-plus, which really held things together. Eventually, we got 119 - and I actually felt it could still be a good score. Maybe 10–15 runs short, but I knew that if we got 2–3 early wickets with the new ball, that 119 would start to feel like 160."

The Indian captain also lauded the efforts of the pace duo, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, for their successful defense of the total, emphasizing their value in the T20 format.

"With Bumrah, you've got to be proactive in how you use him. He’s a wicket-taker, and at the same time, he’s not going to leak runs. So, how do you balance that, especially when the opposition is chasing at a run-a-ball? Arshdeep has been phenomenal too. Over the last two years, there’s a reason he’s become India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is — he’s a really smart bowler."

Rohit Sharma concluded, "So, with both of them, my focus was on how to use their remaining overs strategically. You think about which batters are coming in, how would they handle Arshdeep and Bumrah? On that pitch, it was tough for new batters to settle, so our goal was to force new guys to the crease. That was the plan."