3 months ago
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All-rounder Axar Patel conceded that determination is an other furniture of unit astir a cricket lucifer betwixt India and arch-foes Pakistan, but said the players effort to stay steady-minded by staying distant from extracurricular talks astir the strength of the age-old rivalry.
In the latest occurrence of the showdown betwixt the 2 teams, India trounced Pakistan by 61 runs astatine the Premadasa Stadium present connected Sunday (February 15, 2026) nighttime to beforehand to the Super Eight signifier of the ICC T20 World Cup.
“Yes, determination is pressure. People astir you oregon your household oregon friends speech to you astir it. So, yes, determination is simply a small much unit than a mean match,” Axar said successful the post-match property conference.
“As nonrecreational cricketers, we conscionable absorption connected controlling our emotions. We don’t deliberation excessively overmuch astir the rivalry oregon enactment other unit connected ourselves due to the fact that of it,” helium added.
“We are seeing them arsenic a team. So, we are not reasoning astir these rivalries etc. We are conscionable focusing connected cricket. So, whenever I americium playing, I dainty it arsenic 1 lucifer against an opponent. Ishan Kishan played a sensational 40-ball 77 to assistance India a competitory 175 for seven, and Axar lauded the opener for playing a game-changing innings.
“Yeah, evidently the mode helium batted, I deliberation 1 of the large knocks, due to the fact that it was not truthful easy, the shot was spinning, immoderate were going consecutive nether light, truthful it was not easy. It’s conscionable that the signifier helium has had successful home cricket – helium has carried it guardant to the New Zealand bid and past successful the past lucifer besides helium scored 50.
“So, erstwhile your assurance is precocious you don’t deliberation overmuch astir yourself oregon the wicket. Obviously, determination is assurance besides and a batch of accomplishment also. He has not deed each his shots successful 1 place, helium has played shots each over, implicit the cover, gaffe – truthful helium utilized the tract well. So I deliberation recognition goes to him,” helium detailed.
India’s lopsided triumph did not bash immoderate justness to the match’s billing arsenic a conflict betwixt Men In Blue’s batters and Pakistan’s rotation bowlers.
Axar said the squad was not focussing connected specified topics.
“We are focusing connected our strengths and it's extracurricular speech (India batting vs Pakistan spin). We are not reasoning astir that. We are conscionable reasoning astir our program and our execution erstwhile we are batting oregon bowling, we are conscionable reasoning astir if we are bowling archetypal oregon we are bowling 2nd what we person to do? How the wicket was? All those things,” helium said.
