Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has downplayed the importance of the India–Pakistan encounter in the T20 World Cup, calling it “no big deal” if the much-anticipated group stage match does not take place. His remarks come in the wake of Pakistan’s announcement that they will boycott their scheduled T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo. No official explanation was provided by Pakistan behind this move. Generally, India vs Pakistan matches have been framed as marquee events, levelled as the sport’s biggest rivalry. However, Manjrekar believes that the reality on the field no longer matches the build-up off it.
"India-Pakistan match, if it does not happen, no big deal. Honestly, for a long time now, the actual game has never lived up to the hype and the drama we built up before the match. And the reason for that is obvious. It's that India and Pakistan are not in the same league anymore. Earlier, in the 90s and before, it was fun because Pakistan was a strong team. But not anymore. Now, when India beats Pakistan, it is almost like India is beating the minnows. Earlier, you could have felt good on beating Pakistan," Manjrekar said in a video on Instagram.
Manjrekar said that recent India–Pakistan T20 clashes have failed to deliver the competitiveness. In his view, the imbalance between the two sides has grown so much that the showdown no longer feels like a clash of equals.
"That's how Pakistan cricket has deteriorated. I saw that in the Asia Cup as well. You just have to compare the young players that come through the Indian cricket system versus the Pakistan cricket system. It's the difference between the earth and the sky. If India-Pakistan does not happen in this world event, it is not a big deal because you still have Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa. Those are the matches to watch, and those are the teams that India needs to beat for us to feel proud about this Indian team. I think it is a non-event and is not going to bring down the value of the tournament," he added.