Former Australian cricketer Simon O’Donnell has revealed that the possibility of India and Pakistan playing each other in the purest format of the game and on Australian soil is growing with every passing day.
The opening encounter between India and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia set the tone for the rest of the T20 World Cup. It has very much been the showpiece event of the competition so far and the remaining teams have to do something extraordinary to beat the occasion.
The clash between the two sides saw over 90,000 fans gracing the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground and making the match a transcendental affair. The action on the pitch also lived up to the hype and expectations. Despite finding themselves with a foothold and a half in the game, Babar Azam and his men ended up falling short because of one man’s genius.
Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 53 not only pulled off a miraculous, almost improbable heist for Team India from near-impossible circumstances but also shook off any suggestions surrounding his poor form and slump and whatnot.
The final three overs of the game proved to be a game inside the game of its own and the action as well as its several twists and tales could even give Hollywood script-writers a run for their money. In the end, India held their nerve and got the job done on the final delivery of the match to provide a fitting start to the T20 World Cup as well as their own campaign.
Former Australian all-rounder O’Donnell was left mesmerised by the occasion and the gravity of the response. Sharing his thoughts on the clash on SEN radio, he also shared an important update regarding the cricketing rivalry between India-Pakistan which could be welcome news for both sides.
“That [their T20 World Cup clash] was extraordinary. That game itself is the one that’s held the tournament up so far, people keep referring back to it.
“There was 90,000 at a neutral venue, there was extraordinary emotion, the scenes of the game, the tightness of the game, the pressure,”
he said.
O’Donnell added that discussions are being held to organise a Test between the two countries or maybe a triangular ODI series featuring Australia, India, and Pakistan.
“It was magnificent sort of stuff, to the level that I can say there will be discussions being had, or there are discussions being had to play a Test match here. There’s also the possibility of a triangular One-Day series between India, Pakistan and Australia or a Test match between India and Pakistan.
“My word there are [conversations happening] in the wake of this [T20 World Cup clash]. There are already discussions taking place,”
he stated further.
