ADELAIDE : Star opener Rohit Sharma feels that arch-rivals Pakistan who will be “under pressure” going into the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup as they have never won against India at the mega event.
“The pressure will be on them rather than us. They are the ones, who have not won a game against us in the World Cup. We will try and use it to our advantage,” Rohit told the mediapersons at India’s Open Session, here today.
Not denying that Pakistan match will be a huge affair, Rohit wants that fans go back with happy memories and they will prepare to the best of their abilities to win the game.
“It will be a big game against Pakistan. But we need to concentrate more on the process rather than taking it as an India-Pakistan game. The result will take care of itself if we concentrate on the process and we know what we need to do to be at our best.
“Any World Cup game will be an important one and the first game won’t be any different. We will give our fans some happy memories to go back with.”
For Rohit, wearing the India jersey is a good enough motivation for any player and it can’t get bigger than the World Cup.
“Once you wear the Indian jersey, it is motivation enough to go and perform on the field. If you are not motivated enough wearing the Indian jersey, then you are just doing yourself a favour by showing up on the ground.”
It will be Rohit’s first ODI World Cup having missed the bus during the last edition in India. Talking about early World Cup memories, Rohit recollected Ajay Jadeja’s diving catch to dismiss Allan Border in Brisbane during the 1992 World Cup.
“I still remember the catch Ajay Jadeja took in the 1992 World Cup to dismiss Alan Border and it is my oldest World Cup memory,” he says.
“I remember watching it on TV and that was the time the World Cup fever was growing in India. Also, the India-Pakistan match at Centurion in 2003 is the best I have ever watched Sachin Tendulkar bat. You could feel the heat. Even though I was not playing the game I could feel it.
“It was good to watch that game and it is something I will never forget. Right from the toss till the last ball, everything was intense and I couldn’t take my eyes off the TV,” Rohit fondly recollected. (AGENCIES)
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