It's a chance for Pakistan to create history, says Moin

Pakistan chief selector Moin Khan hoped the current Pakistan team will break the team’s losing record against India in the World Cup when the two arch-rivals clash in their Sunday’s opener here. 

Since the two teams played each other for the first time in a World Cup game in 1992 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Pakistan have lost all their five matches to India in the quadrennial event and Moin felt it all boiled down to handling the pressure.

“It happens, that's the beauty of the game,” Moin noted when asked about Pakistan’s record. “Whenever we've played India in the World Cup, they've played well and they deserved to win those games. But there's another opportunity for this new Pakistan team, it's an opportunity for them to make history. They can be the team which breaks that record,” he remarked.

The former stumper said Pakistan have tried to address the mental block against India in the World Cup. “Cricket is an amazing game,” he began. “Every player enjoys playing an India-Pakistan match. As far as history goes, Pakistan have lost to India every time in the World Cup. The mentors and the coaches of the team have spoken to the players about this, about being mentally strong.”

Handling pressure, Moin felt, was the key in an India-Pakistan match and that the players needed to enjoy it to succeed. “It is all in the mind when it comes to handling pressure,” he pointed out. “If you think you are under pressure you can’t perform. You need to enjoy it.

India-Pakistan matches always give you a boost and if you perform here it can prolong your career as well. This is an opportunity and the players should grab it with both hands,” he reasoned.