The Indian cricket team is all set to begin its T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the iconic MCG on October 23.
Ahead of the marquee clash, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has admitted that there is nothing better than playing against Pakistan on the big stage.
While Pant has established himself as India’s leading glovesman in Tests and ODIs, he is competing for the wicketkeeper-batter slot with Dinesh Karthik in the shortest format of the game.
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Having experienced the feeling of taking on Pakistan in a T20 World Cup match in Dubai last year, the southpaw is hoping to get the chance once more.
"It’s always special playing against Pakistan because there is a special hype around that match as always," the official website of T20 World Cup quoted Pant as saying.
"There are so much emotions involved, not only for us, but the fans and everyone. It’s a different kind of feeling, a different kind of ambience when you go on to the field and when you take on the field, you see people cheering here and there.
"It’s a different atmosphere and when we were singing our national anthem, I actually get goosebumps."
During the last year’s encounter, Team India were outplayed by the arch-rivals at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Despite India’s 10-wicket thrashing, Rishabh Pant still has fond recollections of the game, in which he played a quickfire knock of 39 and was involved in a 53-run partnership with then skipper Virat Kohli.
"I fondly remember that I smacked Hasan Ali for two sixes in the same over," the left-hander recalled.
"We were just trying to get the run rate up because we lost early wickets and we staged a partnership – me and Virat.
"We were increasing the run rate and I smacked him for two sixes with one hand... my special shot."
Pant is hoping he will get an opportunity to revive his batting partnership with Kohli at the MCG this Sunday.
"He (Kohli) can actually teach you how to go through situations, which might help you in your cricket journey going forward, so it is nice batting with him as always," Pant said.
"It’s good to have someone with a lot of experience batting with you because he can take you through how to take the game on and how to maintain that run-a-ball pressure kind of thing."
(t20worldcup.com inputs)
