COLOMBO (Kashmir English): The pressure will be on Pakistan today when it faces the USA in the T20 World Cup again, two years after the Americans inflicted a shock defeat on the former champions.
This was stated by the USA leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin. “The pressure will be on Pakistan” when the teams lock horns in the T20 World Cup again,” he said.
But Pakistan quick bowler Salman Mirza is of the view that the stunning super over defeat in Dallas in the 2024 T20 World Cup would be firmly “in the past” when the two clash in Colombo on Tuesday (today).
The USA side gave tournament favourites India a big scare in their opening game in Mumbai, reducing them to 77-6 at one point, with Mohsin taking a wicket on his T20 World Cup debut, before losing by 29 runs.
The Americans are confident they can repeat their stunning upset performance of two years ago in the Group A encounter today.
“The pressure of losing the last game will be on Pakistan,” said Mohsin.
Born and brought up playing cricket in Pakistan, Mohsin migrated to the US five years back and warned that his team was a better side now than two years ago.
“I have played with most of the players in this Pakistan team, so I have given my input to the team and we are a more skilled and confident team.”
Mirza, however, was confident the last defeat would not prey on the Pakistan players’ minds.
“Winning and losing are part of the game; it happens in cricket,” Mirza said. “The defeat against the USA is now past and behind us.”
Pakistan T20 World Cup opener
Pakistan, the 2009 champions, almost met another shock in their ICC Men’s World Cup 2026 opening match against the Netherlands on Saturday.
Pakistan needed 29 runs in the last two overs and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf’s big hitting bailed them out.
