India and Pakistan will start on equal footing: Miandad

India and Pakistan will start on equal footing: Miandad

Yahoonews, PTI, 24 September 2009

Karachi: Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad believes the India-Pakistan match of the ICC Champions Trophy will begin on an equal footing for the archrivals and the team that sustains the pressure will emerge as victories.

"Both the teams in my book are equally balanced. While India has a stronger batting line-up despite the absence of Yuvraj Singh, Pakistan has a much better and more penetrative bowling attack," Miandad said.

"Both teams have their own strengths and weaknesses but definitely having players of the calibre of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid is a big plus for India. But I think we have the bowling to seriously challenge the Indian batsmen. So the match will start on an even kneel," he said.

Miandad feels the hype generated for the match will create a lot of pressure on the players of both the team.

"Which means basically that the team that keeps its nerves and cool will win," he added. Miandad said it will be an important match considering the current political tensions between the nations.

"Things have changed a bit now people don't react that strongly to the result. But I think this match at Centurion is important in the backdrop of the relations between the two countries," he said.

Miandad said if injury-hit Younus Khan returns to lead the side against India it will give Pakistan a morale boost. "It is a big match and the presence of the regular captain will be a boost for the team after he missed the first game against West Indies," Miandad said