Salman Butt had no qualms in admitting that a match with India was “the biggest of all matches.” The Pakistani vice-captain also said that it was better for the players if they viewed it as an opportunity rather than a pressure situation.
“Every coin has two sides to it,” Butt said on Thursday, ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup league clash. “You can either look at it as pressure game, or an opportunity. I see it as an opportunity, because if you look at it that way, it can bring the best out of you.
“This is the biggest of all matches. It's always nice to win against India, and I am sure they will also feel that way when they defeat us. If we perform well and defeat India, it changes the entire mood of the nation. I have enjoyed playing India, I have three hundreds against them. A match against India is a great chance to make a name for yourself.”
India are without their batting superstars. Asked if that would help them bring their World Cup jinx, Butt replied, “Our superstars are here. Whoever is playing right now is the star of this time. With due respect, India are a very good side, and so are we. I am looking forward to a good contest.
“As for the World Cup jinx, there is always a first time, so why not tomorrow? We hope tomorrow will be the day, and we are working hard towards that.”
Neither side has played a great deal of Twenty20 cricket, and Butt pointed out that the team that adjusted to the bounce at Kingsmead had more chances of courting success. “We played a couple of games in Nairobi before coming here, but it was under different conditions, on different pitches. Durban is different in that there is a lot more bounce. It is not so much pace as the amount of bounce. It is like tennis-ball bounce, the ball shoots up from a length. You need to adjust. Whoever adjusts quicker will have a better chance.”