Ganesh Kendale
Pakistan A captain Mohammad Haris has made a sensational revelation that his team for the Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup is banned from talking about India in the dressing room.
The Pakistan Shaheens will take on India A in their tournament opener on October 19. UAE and Oman are the other two teams in their group.
“Aapko ek baat batau. Pehli dafa hoga ke iss dressing room mei Bharat par baat karne pe pabandi hai (I will tell you one thing; it’s the first time ever that we are not allowed to talk about India in the dressing room),” Haris said in a video that has gone viral on social media.
The 23-year-old Haris, who has also played for the senior Pakistan team and featured in 6 ODIs and 9 T20Is so far, said that it creates extra pressure on players if they talk about the match against India only.
“We don’t have to think (only) about India, we have to think about other teams as well. I have been in the (senior) Pakistan team, played the last World Cup as well. It creates so much pressure that mentally you are thinking about India, India. We have to face other teams as well,” he said.
“So this team is currently banned (from talking about India). We have not talked about India so far in the dressing room. Not just India, we have to respect other teams as well”.
India will be led in the tournament by middle-order batsman Tilak Varma, who has already played four ODIs and 16 T20Is for the senior team. Opener Abhishek Sharma has been appointed Varma’s deputy.
