Mohammad Yousuf Discusses the World Cup Matchup with India

Mohammad Yousuf, a former captain of the Pakistan cricket team who played in 288 one-day internationals and 90 tests, has worked with the majority of the young batters both in his capacity as his nation's batting coach and in his continued capacity as a consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Yousuf, 49, discussed the World Cup matchup with India in an interview with The Telegraph.Excerpts:

A: Given that Pakistan recently lost to India in the Asia Cup, who are the favorites for this encounter on Saturday?

A: Given how much cricket is played now, the current pattern of wins and losses will continue. One shouldn't make too much of it and should instead anticipate the difficulties that lie ahead. The winner is whoever plays best on that particular day. No team should count on winning the game. In a matchup between two evenly matched teams, there is no favorite. You can claim that one team has a maximum advantage of 55-45. A World Cup defeat does not necessarily imply that your campaign is over; you can still recover and advance to the knockout stages.

How much does the strain of such a public match effect the players?

A: Nerves do play a significant part... If I said it wasn't there, I'd be lying. There is always pressure, and the person who manages it best prevails. Those who claim that once we enter the field, it's just another game and we have no feelings are not accurately portraying our feelings... Pakistan scored more than 300 (338) runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. India was put under a great deal of pressure, and they crumbled.

Is Pakistan going to have the upper hand on Saturday?

A: Although Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav are an excellent bowling trio, few people talk about Pakistan's bowling. I also don't understand why Mohammed Shami isn't allowed in. He is too cunning and can take full advantage of the circumstances. India has experience because the majority of its players also play Test cricket. In order to get the appropriate mojo, they play together throughout the entire year. They are a potent group that appears to have reached its zenith at the ideal moment.

Why are bowlers having some difficulty in this World Cup?

A: Compared to batting in modern cricket, bowling is incredibly difficult. Up until 40 overs, there are two new balls and five fielders inside the circle. When Sachin Tendulkar was playing, he could have added a few thousand more runs if these restrictions had been in place. In ODIs, Sachin's average was 44.83, while the majority of players now average more than 50. The game has been considerably stacked in favor of the batters due to the introduction of two new balls. Bowlers who do well in these conditions, such as Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi, should be regarded as very good. Remember that all pacers have one drawback that no one mentions: they are unable to reverse swing while the two white balls are in position.

I am Shaheen Afridi.

I am Shaheen Afridi.

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What are Pakistan's points of strength?

A: If you look at the past two years, you'll see that our team is quite balanced. They have been remarkably reliable. Though Naseem Shah's death is a serious setback, I have complete faith in Afridi and the rest. These men' resilience is demonstrated by the way they recover after being written off.

Is Babar Azam's batting too dependant on him?

There is no denying that Babar, a world-class batter, is a team pillar. However, there are other others. Look at how Mohammad Rizwan shown class in the most recent game, Imam-ul Haq; Fakhar Zaman seems a little off-kilter. But Abdullah Shafique has seized the chances with both hands.

What makes Babar unique?

A: Babar is talented, talented, and has the temperament to succeed. He has been scoring runs for a cause. When one of these factors comes together inside of a person, greatness is attained. Just one thing, please. Since the introduction of two new balls in 2010 and fielding limits, it is impossible to compare batting. Shubman Gill's average is 66, compared to Sachin's 45. What would you rate the two at?

Does Babar's batting suffer from being captain?

A: Everybody's definition of captaincy is different. Like Sachin, who disliked taking the lead. People like Ricky Ponting relish their positions. He once raised the bar for himself. Since he has been scoring runs, Babar too appears to be enjoying it.

Will the bowling of Pakistan compete against the batting of India?

A: I'm not sure how this theory gained acceptance... Two batters from Pakistan are also ranked in the top 10. To get there, they too have scored runs. Since the time of Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul Haq, Pakistan's batting has consistently been strong.Take a look at the hundreds that Anwar scored against India. Take a look at how they handled the difficulty in their previous game!

Have you been taken aback by KL Rahul's performance since his comeback?

KL has always had the aptitude. It doesn't necessarily imply someone is not good if he doesn't score runs in one game. Give the player a long run before making a decision. Over the past 10 to 15 years, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have rendered invaluable service to India. I've been going to watch them ever since they started. Technically highly strong, as seen by their performance. I've talked to Kohli, and he's a real gem. He is a model when you first meet him off the field. Each person responds to pressure on the field in a unique way.

Does having a home game affect the host team?

A: In 2011, India triumphed. However, due of the expectations, there is pressure on the players. This holds true for both Pakistan and India.

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