One of the sport’s most intense rivalries has always been that between India and Pakistan in cricket. from verbal arguments to furious on-field altercations. But in recent years, as players share amicable moments, the aggressiveness that was once most anticipated has diminished. Wahab Riaz, a former pacer for Pakistan, recently discussed the reason why India-Pakistan matches have slowed down and blamed the stringent ICC rules.
Ahead of Sunday’s India-Pakistan match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, Riaz discussed the shift in intensity, pointing out that there haven’t been many intense matches between the bitter rivals recently. He claims that the ICC’s policies have been crucial in preventing players from acting aggressively towards one another.
“I think [it is] the rules and regulations of the ICC.” Particularly when it comes to off-field activities, they are extremely rigid. I believe that has eliminated the deep, emotional moments in which we used to converse and there was aggression. Riaz stated via JioHotstar, “I think it’s all about the ICC rules and regulations that have taken that part of the game away.”
Although Pakistan had some strong moments, they lacked consistency. Wahab Riaz
The Men in Green are under pressure to recover from a poor 60-run loss to New Zealand in their debut encounter as they get ready to play the Men in Blue in the Champions Trophy 2025. Although Riaz is optimistic about Pakistan’s prospects under Mohammad Rizwan, he emphasises the significance of maintaining composure and consistency throughout their performances.
By defeating India, they (Pakistan) can undoubtedly recover. I hope they are able to perform. Pakistan has a chance to win the game, but more importantly, it’s the ideal setting for them to perform at their highest level. We must remain in the here and now; the squad that can handle pressure the best will prevail. Pakistan had periods of strong play, but they lacked consistency. They played more Twenty20 matches than ODIs,” he continued.
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