Gautam Gambhir Urges Team India to Focus on Winning 2023 World Cup, Not Just India-Pakistan Clash
Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir emphasizes India’s goal should be winning the 2023 World Cup, not just the India-Pakistan match.
Gautam Gambhir Urges India to Prioritize World Cup Victory Over India-Pakistan Clash
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has stressed that India’s primary objective in the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup should be securing the championship title, rather than placing undue importance solely on their match against arch-rivals Pakistan.
Speaking to Star Sports following the India-Nepal Asia Cup clash, Gambhir highlighted that the encounter with Pakistan should be viewed as “just a step towards winning the World Cup.”
Gambhir emphasized the need to avoid an overly focused approach on the India-Pakistan match, stating, “I hope it’s not only about India and Pakistan on October 14. I hope it’s about India playing the World Cup final and lifting the Cup because you never know how many people will be part of the next World Cup from this World Cup team. And it only happens after 4 years.”
He further added, “For us as a nation, for us as fans, for us as broadcasters, everything should not only be focused on India and Pakistan. It’s all about winning the World Cup. Pakistan is just a block. It’s just a step toward winning the World Cup.”
Gambhir also reminisced about India’s championship-winning campaigns in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, emphasizing that their primary goal was lifting the ultimate prize, with the Pakistan match considered just one step in their journey.
“In 2007, the T20 World Cup, we started our campaign against Pakistan, we played the final against Pakistan. It was never about Pakistan only. Even in 2011, it was never about Pakistan; Pakistan was just a step. So, when as a broadcaster, as experts, if we stop talking about only India vs. Pakistan and think about winning the World Cup, I think Team India will be in a much better position,” Gambhir stated.
The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan, initially scheduled for October 15, will now take place a day earlier, on October 14, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
