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India and Pakistan are all set to lock horns on 23 October at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in what is going to be an opening fixture for both teams. The excitement and build-up around the game are high as ever. Both teams have announced strong squads for the showpiece event and thus an absolute cliffhanger is expected at the MCG.
Not just fans, but the players are also excited about the mega clash. India’s wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant has said that he is eager to take on the arch-rivals. Although Pant is seemingly in a head-to-head battle with veteran Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeping role in India's XI, the 25-year-old could still feature as a specialist batter if selectors opt to bolster their middle-order for the match, or he can feature alone as well.
Nevertheless, in any case, Pant just wants to live that feeling of playing against Pakistan once again. The wicketkeeper batter has said that it’s always a special feeling playing against the neighbours as there is always hype around the game. "It’s always special playing against Pakistan because there is a special hype around that match as always," Pant said to the T20 World Cup website.
"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."
Pant also went down the memory lane and remembered his partnership with Virat Kohli at the T20 World Cup 2021. He said that batting with Kohli always helps younger players as the 33-year-old can teach how to go through situations. "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", he added.
