Rohit Sharma Reveals Security Scare and Tense Atmosphere Before India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Clash

Rohit Sharma Reveals the Tense Atmosphere Surrounding India-Pakistan Matches

The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is legendary, creating an unmatched level of excitement for both fans and players. Indian captain Rohit Sharma, a veteran of numerous high-pressure encounters between the two nations, has offered insights into the unique atmosphere surrounding these games.

Sharma recalled the T20 World Cup 2024 clash, describing the pre-match environment as nothing short of a festival. The intensity began at the team hotel and extended all the way to the stadium. India ultimately secured a narrow six-run victory in a low-scoring thriller, with Jasprit Bumrah earning the Player of the Match award for his impressive bowling performance of 3-14.

"Before the India vs Pakistan match, we were told there was a threat - something was going on. So, two days before the game, we weren’t allowed to step out of the hotel," Sharma revealed. "The atmosphere started building from there. We were ordering food in, and the hotel was so packed you could barely walk. Fans, media - everyone was there. That’s when you realise this isn’t just another match - something special is about to happen."

Sharma continued, "As soon as we got near the stadium, it already felt like a celebration - Indian fans, Pakistani fans, all dancing and enjoying themselves. I’ve played so many India–Pakistan games now - I’ve lost count - but that pre-match energy, that feeling… It’s always something else. Nothing compares to it," he shared on JioHotstar’s 'Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se'.

During the match, India faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Virat Kohli (4), Rohit himself (13), and Axar Patel (20). However, Rishabh Pant delivered a crucial innings, scoring 42 off 31 balls, including six boundaries, which helped propel the team to a total of 119. Unfortunately, the remaining batsmen in the middle order struggled to reach double figures.

Sharma praised Pant's contribution, stating that the wicketkeeper-batter played to his full potential and kept India in the game on a challenging pitch.

“We just wanted Rishabh to be Rishabh - do all the things he does best, unsettle the bowlers, play freely. And he did that perfectly. His innings was around 42, and on that pitch, that’s as good as scoring 70. It was a very challenging surface - something was always happening. The par score there was probably 130 or 140. We ended up with 119. Our plan wasn’t to go for 200 - we were aiming for 140. But of course, we lost wickets along the way. And that’s when Rishabh played that crucial knock of 40-plus, which really held things together. Eventually, we got 119 - and I actually felt it could still be a good score. Maybe 10–15 runs short, but I knew that if we got 2–3 early wickets with the new ball, that 119 would start to feel like 160," Rohit explained.

The Indian captain also lauded the performance of the pace bowling duo, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, for their successful defense of the total, emphasizing their value in the T20 format.

“With Bumrah, you’ve got to be proactive in how you use him. He’s a wicket-taker, and at the same time, he’s not going to leak runs. So, how do you balance that, especially when the opposition is chasing at a run-a-ball? Arshdeep has been phenomenal too. Over the last two years, there’s a reason he’s become India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is — he’s a really smart bowler.

"So, with both of them, my focus was on how to use their remaining overs strategically. You think about which batters are coming in, how would they handle Arshdeep and Bumrah? On that pitch, it was tough for new batters to settle, so our goal was to force new guys to the crease. That was the plan," Rohit concluded.